An update has emerged in Aston Villa’s pursuit of Lazio forward Joaquin Correa…
What’s the talk?
According to the Sunday Mirror (8/8; page 75), via TBRF, Aston Villa are leading the race to land Lazio forward Joaquin Correa this month.
The report claims Everton and Leicester are also interested in the attacker, but Dean Smith’s side are the favourites to sign him, as it stands.
Fans will be buzzing
Aston Villa fans will surely be buzzing with this as it appears to indicate that their side has the best chance of signing Correa. They are ahead of Everton and Leicester in the transfer race and that not only shows the ambition of Johan Lange, but also how quickly they are moving to cover up the loss of Jack Grealish.
With Danny Ings, Leon Bailey and Emi Buendia already added to the attacking ranks, Villa have been busy in the market and Correa would be another excellent addition to their squad. The Argentine scored 11 goals in all competitions for Lazio in 2020/21, whilst also providing six assists to his teammates.
He was directly involved in five goals in eight Champions League appearances, scoring three and creating two for the Serie A side. This shows that he has the quality to make an impact in the biggest club competition in Europe, suggesting that he has the ability required to come to the Premier League and be a success.
In a tactical analysis of the forward, Breaking the Lines hailed him as highly versatile and outlined his biggest strengths as a player. They wrote: “It is no wonder why his style of play is drawing fans towards his potential. Correa’s wide repertoire of skills and his tricky dribbling makes him a menace for opposing defenders. His quick movement and awareness allow him to move into spaces or drop deep to enable his teammates to move forward.
“He can be the creative outlet of the side, creating chances for his teammates. It is because of his movement that he is able to draw defenders away, then using his dribbling to get past them and either provide a key pass or go for goal himself.
“Highly versatile, he can play on both wings or in the centre, with his wide array of assets allowing him to flourish in either position.”
This means that Smith could utilise him across the frontline and mix up where he plays him. The ex-Brentford coach could slot him in on the right with Buendia in the middle and Watkins on the left, or play him through the middle behind Watkins with Bailey on the left and Buendia on the right.
Adding Correa would provide Smith with a multitude of options, both in terms of quality and positional flexibility, which is why this could be a terrific deal for the club, one that Villa fans would love to see come to fruition.
AND in other news, The Athletic journalist drops update on £50m midfielder, Villa fans will be relieved…