Aston Villa were brought back down to earth by Nottingham Forest last weekend as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat that ended a six-game unbeaten run across all competitions.
Unai Emery has built a side which can realistically challenge for the top six spot in the Premier League table this season and winning a trophy of some sort this term can’t be ruled out.
With progress in the Europa Conference League going smoothly so far, this Villa side can certainly go far and Emery has them well-drilled.
The Spaniard will still be looking to strengthen his team though and the January transfer window is fast approaching.
Having enjoyed success during the summer window, bringing in players such as Moussa Diaby, Nicolo Zaniolo and Pau Torres, the former Arsenal coach appears to favour a quality-over-quantity approach and this is working well so far.
With this in mind, he could delve back into the market to bolster his squad in the coming months, especially as he seems to be light in a few areas, most notably at centre-forward.
Aston Villa transfer news
According to a recent report by Italian outlet Calciomercatoweb, Villa are reportedly keen on signing AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham next year.
The Englishman spent a season on loan at the Villa Park side during the 2018/19 season and he scored 26 goals and registered three assists across 40 matches as he helped the club secure promotion back to the Premier League following a three-year absence.
The former Chelsea frontman has a contract that doesn’t expire until 2026 and this could mean Jose Mourinho will place a big price tag on his head regarding any potential transfer.
According to Football Transfers, Abraham is currently valued at €39m (£34m) and with a few years left on his contract, Emery may need to make a bid nearer the £50m mark in order to secure his signature.
The club could face stiff competition for the 26-year-old however, as West Ham United and Fulham are also interested in luring him back to the Premier League according to the report and with Roma signing Romelu Lukaku on loan for the current season, it looks like Abraham could soon be on the move.
The question is, who will be best placed to sign him either in January or next summer? Emery will be hoping their current form and progress in Europe will tempt him back to the Midlands.
Tammy Abraham’s statistics for Roma
Having won the Champions League with Chelsea, the striker decided to move abroad and joined Roma in 2021, becoming an instant hit under Mourinho.
He netted 27 goals across all competitions during his maiden season in Italy and won another European trophy, this time the Europa Conference League.
The goals dried up slightly last term as he managed to score just nine times, yet he displayed his selfless side by grabbing seven assists as the Serie A side finished runners-up to Sevilla in the Europa League final.
A cruciate ligament injury has ruled him out until January at the earliest and this could mean Emery may have to wait until the summer in order to complete a potential swoop for the player.
The Spaniard has been too over-reliant on Ollie Watkins this season however, as the former Brentford forward has featured in every single match so far this term, scoring nine goals in the process and signing someone like Abraham would not only give him some competition, but he would also be an upgrade on Jhon Duran.
Jhon Duran's stats for Aston Villa
The 19-year-old has only been at the club for ten months, joining back in January from Chicago Fire, and it was clear he had bags of potential, having scored eight MLS goals.
Across 12 matches for Villa, however, he failed to get on the scoresheet, proving that the jump from American to England was perhaps tougher than anticipated.
Goals
0
2
Assists
0
0
Shots on target per game
0.2
0.5
Big chances created
0
0
Successful dribbles per game
0.1
0.2
Stats via Sofascore
The Englishman could be an instant upgrade on the Colombian youngster, however. According to FBref, Abraham registered a higher percentage of shots on target (45.2% vs 28.6%) while also registering more goal-creating actions per 90 (0.37 vs 0) and winning a higher percentage of aerial duels per 90 (51.9% vs 41.2%), indicating that he could be a more effective option to lead the line.
Abraham also created more big chances (nine vs two) than Duran during his more productive stint at Chicago Fire, while also averaging more key passes per game (0.9 vs 0.3) and succeeding with more successful dribbles per match (0.6 vs 0.4), further evidence of how impressive Abraham was when compared to the youngster.
The former Chelsea gem could add further firepower to the Villa squad and would allow Emery to give Watkins a much-needed rest when required.
Former professional Stephen Elliot hailed Abraham as a “goal machine” back during his spell with the London side and his spell abroad has certainly improved his game.
His ability to create chances for others, evidenced by the fact he ranks in the top 5% when compared to his positional peers for assists per 90 (0.29), could be a big advantage for Emery, as he will be able to link up well with others and form a partnership alongside Watkins if required.
The striker also ranks in the top 15% when compared to peers for aerials won per 90 (4.3) and his physical presence and aerial ability would also allow him to thrive in the Premier League once again.
Duran is still young and has lots of raw potential, but Emery will be looking for a more experienced player if he is looking for someone who can come in and settle into life at Villa Park easily.
Abraham has spent a season in the Midlands before and this could be what makes the club stand out from the others who are keen on him with regard to a potential move away from the hustle and bustle of Rome.