Unai Emery is reportedly keen on a deal to take Giovani Lo Celso from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, as the Aston Villa manager eyes a reunion with his former player.
Villa are weighing up their strategy in the market this summer, with the window due to open in exactly one week’s time. It has been alleged they could be one of the clubs that makes moves before the end of the month to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP), or Profitability & Sustainability Rules.
Once that matter is settled, it will be interesting to see how far the club is willing to go to strengthen ahead of making their Champions League bow in the upcoming campaign. Different midfield options have been floated as a hint to where Emery will seek to improve his squad, and according to The Sun he will turn to a familiar face in Lo Celso.
was Emery who brought the Argentine to Europe when in the French capital, signing him as a 20-year-old for £8.5m. Six years later they would have the opportunity to reunite for several months after a loan bargain was organised with Spurs.
Upon their first reunion, the Spaniard said: “Giovani is a player I know, because I had him at PSG. At Betis, he was great and that helped him go to Tottenham. When the possibility of bringing him in came up, we did so because he’s a versatile player. With him, we will try and be better.”
They reached the semi-finals of the Champions League during that second stint together, then Emery eventually departed for Villa as Lo Celso stayed for the remainder of his 18-month loan in La Liga.
He returned to North London for new beginnings in the 2023/24 campaign under new boss Ange Postecoglou, though made 22 Premier League appearances – only four of which were in the starting 11. As a result they say he is seeking a way out with one year remaining on his contract.
Key in Villa’s success in this deal would be Emery’s strong willingness to work with the Copa America winner once again. Another of the 28-year-old’s former clubs, Real Betis, are supposedly interested in a reunion also, though it is thought the financial parameters of such a deal would prevent them from taking back the player they sold to Spurs for £27m four years ago.