Aston Villa are reportedly in talks to sign Real Betis defender Alex Moreno, with the La Liga side desperate for the deal to go through in order to fund a transfer for Atletico Madrid talent Manu Sanchez.
According to Goal, Unai Emery’s side are in discussions with the Andalusian club over signing the 29-year-old fullback, with Betis keen the deal to go through as it would free up funds for Manuel Pellegrini’s side to bring in Sanchez this January.
As per the report, Villa could sign Moreno for as little as €15m (£12m), with the versatile left-sided player being a regular for Betis this season and playing a key role in Los Verdiblancos’ historic Copa del Rey victory last campaign.
Naturally a left-back but also capable of playing anywhere up the left-flank, Moreno could soon be Emery’s first signing since returning to England to manage Villa, with the Premier League side in need of depth in the position beyond Lucas Digne.
Indeed, a move to sign Moreno makes sense for Villa given how versatile the 29-year-old is. However, some supporters might believe that the defender might be too similar in age to Digne, thus providing nothing more than just cover to the France international.
However, given how impressive Moreno has been in recent seasons and the history the defender has made with Betis during that time, the fullback could find himself playing regular football for Villa in 2023, with Emery clearly a fan of the former La Masia academy graduate
Villa signing Moreno could be a gamble for Emery
Emery clearly has big plans for Villa’s future, with the Spanish manager already off to a great start with the Villa Park side and getting supporters excited for what’s to come. Yet signing Moreno could be a risk given how urgently the Premier League side need additions in other positions of the pitch.
After all, the Birmingham-based side could do with centre-back signings as well as more quality in the attack, and signing Moreno as competition for one of Villa’s best and most established players in Digne could be an unusual move for Emery.
