Aston Villa could have signed ‘monster’ Tielemans alternative
Aston Villa achieved a successful summer in the transfer window, bolstering the squad in a host of areas to better their chances at improving on last season's highs.
Five new faces have arrived on the scene during the window, with Moussa Diaby, Nicolo Zaniolo, Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Clement Lenglet joining Unai Emery on his quest to take Villa to the next level.
Making impressive signings would not have been possible without the Spaniard’s intervention following his arrival at Villa Park in October 2022, where he has since transformed the club in ways beyond in-play performance.
Aston Villa summer signings
Player
Club
Fee
Youri Tielemans
Leicester City
Free
Pau Torres
Villarreal
£33m
Moussa Diaby
Bayer Leverkusen
£51.9m
Nicolo Zaniolo
Galatasaray
Loan
Clement Lenglet
Barcelona
Loan
Figures via Sky Sports.
The Midlands club have been granted a new lease of life thanks to the 51-year-old’s objectives for his side, bringing with him a stellar CV that has ultimately helped to attract some star names to join his project.
Despite bringing in such a calibre of talent, as well as smashing the club's record transfer fee to obtain the £51.9m signature of Diaby, there were some targets that could not be collected by Emery and Monchi this summer.
Last month, one name was rumoured to be of interest to the Villans, as midfielder Tyler Adams was speculated to be on the manager’s and Monchi's radar, in a move that could have prevailed to have a strong outcome for Villa.
Did Aston Villa nearly sign Tyler Adams?
Reported by Football Insider in August, it was claimed that the Midlands side were ‘exploring a potential move’ for the former Leeds United midfielder, who joined a host of players who were hoping to depart Elland Road.
The Whites’ relegation to the Championship called time on a number of players’ futures at the club, with Adams being one of them eager to leave to avoid playing in the second tier.
Luckily for the United States international, a £20m relegation release clause was in place in his contract with the Yorkshire club, making him an affordable asset for interested parties to consider.
Villa looked to be in the race to sign the American, however, Chelsea seemed to get their first, as it was reported that the Blues were closing in on the 24-year-old.
Things took a quick turn, as Mauricio Pochettino’s side pulled the plug on the deal after the midfielder’s medical, with the Daily Mail reporting their concerns over his ongoing hamstring injury.
It didn’t take long for the former RB Leipzig star to find a new club after the west Londoners’ snub, as Bournemouth activated his release clause to secure his signature on a five-year deal.
The American is back in the Premier League, however after making such an impact in his debut campaign at Elland Road, it poses the question of just how much of a strong acquisition he would have been under Emery.
What is Tyler Adams’ market value?
Valued at €38.3m (£32.9m) by Football Transfers, Villa could have sealed a bargain in Adams, whose release clause was a price far lower than the figure reflective of his form.
At just 24, the combative midfielder has experience playing in his home nation in the MLS, as well as the Bundesliga and of course, the Premier League, where he made 24 appearances for Leeds.
Lauded as a “monster” by former defender and fellow countryman Alexi Lalas, the United States ace is highly-regarded back home, captaining his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar aged just 23.
With strong leadership ability and a rounded skill set in the engine room, the New York-born gem could have sparkled in Emery’s midfield, considering that the Spaniard recruited in such a position earlier in the window.
Who do Aston Villa have in that position?
Before the summer transfer window officially opened, Villa announced that they had reached an agreement to sign former Leicester City marvel Youri Tielemans, as the central midfielder’s contract expired with the Foxes.
A middle of the park maestro that had just suffered relegation from the Premier League, the Belgian had a similar claim to the club to their later rumoured target in Adams.
Deployed more typically in a slightly more advanced role to that inhabited by the American, Tielemans signed to seek relief from relegation, however, he hasn’t had a chance to show his worth yet under Emery.
Speaking in a recent press conference, relayed by Football 365, the former Anderlecht star admitted that his situation at Villa Park is “not pleasant”, as he still waits to earn his first Premier League start for the claret and blues.
The player believes the reason behind his absence to be down to the manager’s preference to play two in midfield, with enforcers Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara fitting the demographic of a combative presence better.
Should Aston Villa have signed Tyler Adams?
There were rumours in the summer that Luiz, Villa’s favoured midfielder, was attracting interest from the capital, with The Sun reporting that both Arsenal and Tottenham were eyeing his movements.
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
In the instance that the Brazilian was to leave Villa Park one day in the future, Tielemans would get a clearer path to being a crucial member of the midfield, which poses the question as to whether Adams would have been a better fit from the off.
Last season, the former Leeds dominator ranked in the top 3% of midfielders in the Premier League with reference to his rate of tackles per 90, in which he averaged a stellar 3.72 per 90, via FBref.
Tielemans, while eye-catching from a technical point of view is not so good at that part of the game, averaging below Adams but still impressively with 2.53 tackles per 90 in the same campaign with Leicester. However, his numbers fell glaringly short of those of Adams, telling of what Emery could have got in the American considering the role he wants his midfield duo to undertake.
Instead, the Belgian is heralded for his passing ability, but the Bournemouth man actually topped the Villa outsider in terms of his average pass completion rate per 90, recording 82.5% to his 80.3%.
There’s no denying the quality that Tielemans has in his locker, but with him missing out on minutes due to Emery’s preference to field the two holding midfielders, the Spaniard could have hired the player that fits his wishes better in Adams.
Adding in the fact that sides interested in Luiz may come knocking for the Brazilian again in the winter and beyond, the former Arsenal boss could have had a reassuring defensive presence in the American.
There are of course many factors to the reported interest, with the fact remaining that the Villans have got a seasoned midfielder in Tielemans despite missing out on Adams, however only time will tell if Emery lives to regret not pushing for the 24-year-old.