Villa Park’s meteoric rise might see this player get left behind.
Certainly, the Spaniard’s passion and feverish commitment to the cause, implementing his tactics sharply, has been at the centre of Villa’s rise, but there’s no doubt that the players signed have been made with purposeful and precise lunges.
Now qualified for the Champions League with a top-four Premier League finish, fans might be hoping for some big names, and while that may be the case, Emery’s side have moved shrewdly to sign former loanee Ross Barkley.
Why Aston Villa are signing Ross Barkley
It’s not done and dusted but it would appear that Barkley is headed for Villa Park after previously playing a mixed spell in the Midlands on loan from Chelsea in 2020/21, scoring on an emphatic debut in an incredible 7-2 thrashing over Liverpool but then falling by the wayside, injuries and struggles for tactical integration limiting him to just 18 starts.
Now, though, the 30-year-old has enjoyed a later bloom into a cultured and commanding presence in the engine room, starring for Luton Town this season and even said to be “not far off Player of the Season” by Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson.
As per Sofascore, Barkley has scored five goals and supplied four assists for The Hatters across 32 appearances in the Premier League this season, right at the heart of the action with 61.2 touches per game – which is pretty incredible given that newly-promoted and swiftly relegated Luton took the second-lowest amount of touches (129,656) of any side in the division.
He also completed 85% of his passes, averaged 1.5 key passes, tackles and clearances, 2.1 dribbles, 6.3 ball recoveries and 6.1 successful duels per game. This is a brilliant collection of metrics that prove his quality and past praise from Chelsea teammate Cesc Fabregas, who called him a “machine” for his incredible work rate.
Indeed, producing performances that have seen him likened to Douglas Luiz and John McGinn, FBref rank the 6 foot 2 star among the top 7% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 11% for shot-creating actions and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, adept in penetrating the opposition and unleashing his creativity in the final third.
An experienced and multi-functional player, Barkley will make a marked impact on a Villa side entering a new phase, adding depth and dynamism. On £30k-per-week, the one-time Everton prodigy will be hopeful for improved terms with the Lions, and given that Diego Carlos seems to be headed for the exit, he might get his wish.
Why Villa are set to sell Diego Carlos
Carlos has endured a bit of a luckless stint in the Premier League, signing from Sevilla in a £26m deal back in June 2022 but spending the majority of the 2022/23 campaign sidelined with an ACL injury.
The recently-concluded campaign has been far more fruitful but Carlos has still been restricted to just 20 Premier League starts, with his performances leaving much to be desired.
| PL Stats 23/24: Diego Carlos vs Ezri Konsa | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stat | Carlos | Konsa |
| Matches played | 27 | 35 |
| Matches started | 20 | 35 |
| Pass completion | 88% | 92% |
| Tackles per game | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| Clearances per game | 2.9 | 1.9 |
| Recoveries per game | 2.9 | 4.1 |
| Duels won per game | 2.0 (45%) | 4.8 (76%) |
| Errors leading to shot | 2 | 1 |
| Errors leading to goal | 1 | 2 |
Compare his stats with those of Ezri Konsa. The disparity in performance is remarkable, with Konsa particularly putting him to shame in the duel, so much more reliable and confident against surging opponents. The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell has noted Carlos’ “sloppy” efforts and it shows – the metrics don’t lie.
AC Milan have recently been reported to hold an interest in the Brazilian but now The Telegraph have confirmed that the 31-year-old has been deemed expendable by Emery and his band despite a £50m windfall after landing Champions League football, with efforts still needed to ensure the club complies with Premier League Profit and Sustainability rules.
They say lightning doesn’t strike twice but Tyrone Mings was felled to an ACL injury last August, one year on from Carlos’ blow. The 6 foot 5 titan has not featured since but will be hoping to have overcome the muscular atrophy that has come as a by-product of his setback to make an impact in Emery’s first team next season.
Carlos might see himself fall down the pecking order as Mings makes a comeback, especially given Aston Villa have also been linked with an audacious move for Barcelona centre-half Ronald Araujo this week.
Earning a pretty penny at £100k-per-week, Carlos must be ditched this summer, with that lofty salary not reflecting his impact in the senior set-up. In fact, it’s actually over three times what Barkley currently earns, magnifying the need to make a change.
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