Aston Villa brought in Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley as much-needed additions to their center midfield this past summer, but they could use more reinforcements at the position.
Barkley actually just suffered an injury in Villa’s come-from-behind FA Cup win over West Ham, and with the top-four slipping out of reach, the Lions could use a wise midfield addition in 2025 to bolster their chances in the second half of the season.
According to a report from Diario Sport, Aston Villa are registering an interest in FC Porto center midfielder Nico Gonzalez, who has been shining this season in the Portuguese top flight in a deeper role.
Gonzalez has a 60 million euro release clause at Porto that would necessitate activating in order for a transfer to occur, especially since Barcelona still hold a 40 percent sell-on clause over the 23-year-old Spanish international.
It isn’t uncommon for Aston Villa to be linked to young Spanish talent under the leadership of Monchi and Unai Emery, and Gonzalez is a solid holding player who is averaging two tackles per game in the Primeira Liga.
But since Aston Villa have bigger priorities on the right flank at both right back and right winger, it’s highly unlikely the Villains will spend 60 million euros on a midfielder who isn’t even a proven world-class player.
Gonzalez is good but not great, and signing him for 60 million euros would mean the entire budget meant to cover both a right winger and right back would be gone in one fell swoop.
Right now, the top transfer target for Aston Villa in January 2025 appears to be Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen, with AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze in close second.
At right back, Aston Villa appear to have a liking to a number of LaLiga options, most namely Andrei Ratiu, Villarreal veteran Juan Foyth, and another former Barcelona academy product in Oscar Mingueza.
