In a recent tweet, journalist Fabrizio Romano mentioned that Aston Villa are close to sealing a move for Crvena Zvezda full-back Kosta Nedeljkovic. It has been stated that the Villans are finalising a deal to sign the Serbian youngster.
🚨🟣🔵 Aston Villa are closing in on deal to sign 2005 born right back Kosta Nedeljković from Crvena Zvezda!
He’s set to stay at Serbian club until end of the season.
Talks at final stages for less than €9m.
Villa have been scouting Kosta for long time, as per @Telesportrs. pic.twitter.com/5F4hwovEIA
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 15, 2024
Nedeljkovic’s Impressive Rise In Serbian Fooball
Nedeljkovic has come through the youth ranks of the Serbian club and has done well to establish himself as an important member of their starting XI. The Serbian talent has made 18 appearances for his current employers thus far, securing two assists in the process across all fronts.
The 18-year-old has caught the eye with his performances in Europe where he is averaging 1.0 tackles, 0.8 shots, 0.8 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in the UEFA Champions League. He has even distributed the ball relatively well from the right flank after making 79.1% of his attempted passes in European football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at Crvena Zvezda will run out in the summer of 2027. Hence, it would be difficult for the Villans to sign him on the cheap in this January transfer window.
Aston Villa Are Close To Sealing A Move For Nedeljkovic: Is He A Prospect For The Future?
Nedeljkovic is a solid tackler of the ball and can make some dangerous runs out on the flanks. He has got the vision to engineer a few promising chances for his teammates up top and can shoot the ball purely from long range. The Serbian is primarily a right-back but can also fill in as a right-winger if told to do so.
We can expect Nedeljkovic to be a great signing for the Villans in the long run as he has the potential to become a future star in European football. He has already shown some glimpses of how good he can be in Serbian football.
Thus, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery will do well to get Nedeljkovic on board this month or at the end of this season. There is no denying that the Serbian full-back is a prospect to watch out for in the future. However, there are some concerns over whether he can cope with the physicality and high intensity of English football if the Midlands club manage to snap him up soon.
