Aston Villa have had a season to remember since Unai Emery took charge, transforming their sluggish league results under Steven Gerrard to potential contenders for European football next campaign with the Spaniard.
Emery has revolutionised this Villa squad, sharpening the defence, turning the midfield into a goal-hungry unit and getting Ollie Watkins firing.
With just four games remaining of the 2022/23 campaign for the Villains, attention has reportedly already turned to the summer transfer window, with the aim to improve the squad to take the club to the next level with Europe in their sights.
Ahead of his first full season in the Midlands, Emery has identified areas that he wishes to strengthen in the summer, telling The Athletic of his desire to create a “stronger squad” having “two players for each position” available.
The English football calendar is a demanding one, making squad depth an essential area to have strength in.
The Spaniard has already fine-tuned the Villa defence tactically, however it’s expected to be a busy summer with more options required in a number of positions.
The 51-year-old introduced left-back Alex Moreno to the squad in January, however an upgrade for the full-backs could already be on the horizon with rotating defender Lucas Digne’s future at Villa in doubt.
What’s the latest on Kieran Tierney to Aston Villa?
As reported by Football Insider back in March, the Midlands club are one of the Premier League representatives interested in signing Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney – who could command around £30m – in the summer.
The 25-year-old who signed for the Gunners from Celtic in the summer of 2019, has been out of favour since the emergence of Oleksandr Zinchenko, starting just four matches in the league this season.
The man that made the deal happen was current boss Emery, who has been praised by the Scotsman in the past for being “brilliant” at helping him adapt to the move to England. Despite having a solid start to life in the capital, the FA Cup winner is reportedly looking for a move away as he aims for a permanent spot in a squad.
What could Kieran Tierney bring to Villa?
Once lauded by former Hibernian striker Tam McManus as being one of the “best in the world” at left-back, the Scotsman could prove to be a statement of intent for Villa with strengthening their depth in defence.
Across his 119 appearances for the Gunners, the defender has 19 goal contributions (five goals and fourteen assists), showing the areas of strength in his game being more than just staying back.
With the arrival of Alex Moreno came doubt over the future of Lucas Digne as reported by Football Insider. While the Spaniard continues to adapt to the Premier League, Villa could get themselves a worthy replacement in Digne, and arguably an upgrade on the Frenchman too.
Despite not regularly featuring in the league this season, Tierney comes out on top in comparison to the 29-year-old full-back in a number of valued attributes in that position, attributing to him being named a “warrior” and a "leader" by Premier League legend Ashley Cole during a punditry appearance for Sky Sports (via the Metro).
The Scottish international is ranked in the top 12% for progressive carries per 90 (3.25), compared to Digne’s 1.80 per 90 minutes, showing his direct play from the back, which is integral to Emery’s style of play.
Meanwhile, the former Everton man is also less impressive in defensive areas than the Arsenal left-back, winning an average of just 1.65 tackles per 90, compared to Tierney’s 2.26, as per FBref.
With Newcastle United also chasing the Isle of Man-born star, only time will tell if being reunited with Emery is on the cards but there is little doubt that he would be a strong addition to Villa.