In a recent report, Sport mentioned that Aston Villa are eyeing a move for Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez. It is understood that the Villans’ head coach Unai Emery has not lost sight of the Spanish centre-back and could move in for him in the future.
Nacho’s Growing Frustrations In Spanish Football
The 32-year-old has endured a frustrating campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium as he has struggled to earn regular first-team starts for Los Blancos over the past few months. Nacho has made 11 appearances for the Madrid giants this season on all fronts.
Most of his appearances have come off the bench which explains why the Spaniard is only averaging 0.1 tackles, 0.4 interceptions and 0.1 clearances per game in La Liga. However, Nacho has caught the eye in Europe where he is averaging 0.8 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 2.0 clearances per 90 minutes in the UEFA Champions League. He has even completed 95.2% of his attempted passes in both league and European football this season (stats via whoscored).
His current contract with the Madrid outfit is set to run out at the end of this campaign. Hence, the Villans might have a good shot at recruiting him for a cut-price fee during the January transfer window.
Is Nacho A Good Choice For Aston Villa Boss Unai Emery?
Nacho is a solid tackler of the ball and can make a few timely interceptions at the back when he is playing regularly and with confidence on the field. He is usually quick to spot the danger and doesn’t hesitate to clear his lines when the opposition are on the front football.
The Spanish talent has got a wealth of experience at the highest level and could prove to be a shrewd addition to Unai Emery’s squad if the Villans can find a way to get a deal done for him next year.
We can expect Nacho to add more bite and steel to Aston Villa‘s backline. At the very least, he will offer some healthy competition for Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa at Villa Park.
With all things considered, Nacho would be a good choice for the West Midlands club in the short term. He has enough experience and quality to help the Villans cope with Diego Carlos’ injury absence in the second half of this campaign. However, only time will tell whether the Spanish defensive ace can make a smooth transition to life in the Premier League.
