Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has done a wonderful job of strengthening his squad so far this summer, despite losing players such as Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby.
Qualifying for the Champions League is certainly an incentive to join Villa as the likes of Ian Maatsen and Amadou Onana have moved to the Midlands this summer, joining from Chelsea and Everton respectively.
With just under a month left of the summer transfer window, Emery might need to bring in another one or two players to add some depth to his side, especially as European commitments could drain the team.
Player
Club joined
Moussa Diaby
Al-Ittihad
Douglas Luiz
Juventus
Tim Iroegbunam
Everton
Morgan Sanson
OGC Nice
Viljami Sinisalo
Celtic
Calum Chambers
Cardiff
Could the Spaniard turn to Germany in order to further bolster his first team squad, however, as he is on the lookout for another centre-forward ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Aston Villa eyeing up move for Bundesliga striker
Just a few days ago, Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg claimed that both Chelsea and Aston Villa had submitted offers to sign German striker Maximilian Beier from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim.
While an offer has been submitted, discussions with the club have not yet started. He would only cost €30m (£25m) due to his release clause, which is certainly an affordable figure for Monchi and Co this summer.
Villa have had some success in recruiting players from the German top flight over the previous few years, with Leon Bailey showing last season that there are some gems to be found on the continent.
Could Emery replicate this masterstroke by signing Beier before the end of the current transfer window?
Leon Bailey’s season in numbers
The Jamaican winger arrived in the Midlands during the summer of 2021 for a fee of £25m, which was a significant sum of money at the time, considering Europe was just a pipe dream.
After 28 goals in 119 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen during his spell in Germany, it looked as though Bailey would be an impressive signing for the club.
Despite this, his first two seasons in England were a disappointment. Bailey scored only six goals across 54 matches in all competitions, hardly justifying the extravagant payout.
Things changed during the 2023/24 season, as Emery managed to bring the best out of the winger.
Bailey enjoyed his most productive league campaign of his career with regard to goals scored (10), while overall, he netted 14 times along with registering a further 14 assists from the right wing.
Metric
Premier League
Conference League
Goals
10
2
Assists
9
4
Big chances created
12
2
Key passes per game
1.5
1.2
Successful dribbles per game
1.6
2.2
Among his teammates, Bailey ranked second for goals and assists (19) in the Premier League, while also ranking third for shots on target per game (0.5), second for big chances created (12) and for successful dribbles per game (1.6), showcasing his excellent attacking abilities in a Villa shirt for the first time.
Can he build on this wonderful campaign during 2024/25? Especially as Champions League football will grace Villa Park, meaning he has the chance to shine on the biggest stage of all.
By signing Beier this summer, Emery can repeat the club’s Bailey masterclass…
Maximilian Beier’s statistics for Hoffenheim
The 21-year-old spent time on loan at Hannover 96 in the 2. Bundesliga, where he managed to score ten goals across two seasons, showing flashes of his talent.
This led to a return to Hoffenheim at the start of last season, and it didn’t take him long to make his mark for the club in the top flight.
Indeed, across his first eight Bundesliga matches, Beier scored eight goals while grabbing an assist, taking to life in the top flight with apparent ease.
Throughout the season, he scored against Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, indicating that he didn’t faze the elite during his eventual 16-goal haul for the club.
When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s big five leagues, Beier ranks in the top 14% for non-penalty goals per 90 while also ranking in the top 11% for progressive passes received per 90 (8.33), showing that he gets into promising spaces in the opposition's final third to cause chaos among defences.
These qualities could give Emery another excellent option up top, taking some of the pressure from Ollie Watkins next season.
What Maximilian Beier could offer Aston Villa
Although he scored 16 league goals, Beier can offer much more going forwards. Indeed, he created four big chances in the Bundesliga, averaged 0.7 key passes per game and even succeeded with one dribble per game.
Of course, Emery will want another striker who can score 15 or more goals a season, but Beier’s all-round qualities could be a massive bonus to the Spaniard.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed the centre-forward following his first full season in the German top flight, saying: “His first full season in the German top tier. Great time for the 21-year-old Hoffenheim academy graduate. Much more than just a goalscorer.”
This wasn’t the only praise directed towards him either, as Hoffenheim director Alexander Rosen claimed that Beier is “incredibly fast” and this trait will stand him in good stead against Premier League defenders.
A fee of £25m could be enough for Villa to secure his signature before the transfer window slams shut, allowing Emery to bolster his attacking options without breaking the bank.
The 21-year-old has plenty of scope for development too and playing in the Champions League will expose him to the best teams and defences.
If he can impress in Europe’s premier club competition, the Midlands side will have a prodigious talent in their hands, one who will only get better and better under the Spaniard.
The next few weeks could prove to be an exciting time for the club as they seek further signings. With matches against some of the best sides in Europe coming up next season, bringing the best talent to the club will the main goal for Emery before the window closes later this month.
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