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Aston Villa join Man United in race to sign ‘perfect” Serie A centre-back
Aston Villa have joined Man United in the January race to sign a highly-rated centre-back as Unai Emery‘s men continue their pursuit of a surprise Premier League title.
Villa have surged into genuine Premier League title contention with a remarkable winning streak that has propelled them within touching distance of leaders Arsenal ahead of tonight’s crucial showdown at the Emirates Stadium.
Emery has masterminded 11 consecutive victories across all competitions, matching the club’s all-time record and positioning Villa just three points behind the Gunners with a victory potentially drawing them level at the summit.
Villa’s latest triumph came at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, where they recovered from a goal down to beat Chelsea 2–1 thanks to inspired second-half substitutions from Emery.
Aston Villa open talks with star’s reps to hijack club and replace Harvey Elliott
The former Liverpool winger has barely featured for Emery.
Ollie Watkins hailed his manager as a “tactical genius” following the comeback, which extended Villa’s extraordinary run.
The Midlands club have demonstrated exceptional mental resilience throughout their winning run, earning 18 points from losing positions this season — more than any other Premier League side.
All seven of their most recent league victories have also been sealed by one-goal margins, including comeback wins against Leeds United, Brighton and Chelsea that have defied expectation.
Villa’s defensive solidity has provided the foundation for their challenge, with Emery’s side conceding just 19 goals in 18 matches this season.
Emery has bested former club Arsenal twice in his last two visits to the Emirates, dealing significant blows to the Gunners’ previous title aspirations.
A third successive victory in north London would cement Villa’s credentials as genuine contenders, and they’ve been further boosted by reports that Delcan Rice will miss tonight’s showdown through injury.
Off the field, reports suggest that Villa want to bolster their squad, and they’ve now entered the fray to sign a stellar centre-half from abroad.
Aston Villa join Man United in race for Tarik Muharemovic
According to Italian news outlet Gazzetta Di Modena, Aston Villa have joined the race to sign Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic, with the Premier League title challengers him ahead of a potential summer move.
The 22-year-old has attracted widespread attention across Europe following a string of impressive performances in Serie A, with Villa now competing against English rivals and Italian giants for his signature.
Gazzetta di Modena reports that Villa are amongst three Premier League clubs tracking Muharemovic, alongside Bournemouth and Man United.
The Red Devils dispatched scouts to watch the Bosnian defender in action at the Dall’Ara stadium in Bologna last Sunday, where he delivered another accomplished display and scored his second goal of the campaign.
Muharemovic possesses the characteristics of a ‘modern’ defender that appeal to Premier League clubs, as well as an ‘unusual’ charisma for his age and a profile that is ‘perfect’ for the Premier League.
Bournemouth’s interest stems partly from their successful experience with Dean Huijsen, another defender developed through Juventus’ youth system.
The Cherries signed Huijsen for over £20m before selling him to Real Madrid 12 months later for around treble the price.
However, Inter Milan and Juventus remain frontrunners for Muharemovic’s services.
The Old Lady hold a 50 per cent sell-on clause from his previous departure, which could provide leverage in talks.
Juve are considering using this clause to reduce the asking price for Inter midfielder Davide Frattesi, valued at £25 million, with Muharemovic potentially included as part of an exchange deal.
Forget Rogers: £150k-p/w Aston Villa star “can become truly world class”
This impressive Aston Villa still has the potential to be a world-class player for the club.
