Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria, as Monchi plots to continue his star streak in the summer transfer window.
It’s been a positive break in play for the Villans, who have obtained the talents of Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby, with the capacity for more signings to arrive at Villa Park ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
In capturing Tielemans, Unai Emery has strengthened his midfield however could add more firepower in the middle of the park in Zakaria.
How much could Denis Zakaria cost Aston Villa?
As reported by Italian outlet La Gazetta dello Sport this week, the Old Lady would expect a bargain fee in the region of €18m (£15m) for their midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Chelsea.
The report states that Villa have ‘taken information’ for the 26-year-old’s services, with West Ham United and unnamed German clubs also interested.
The transfer fee is clear from Juventus, with the report stating the player could be sold or be sent on loan with an option to buy this summer.
How good is Denis Zakaria?
Life on the pitch has been difficult for the Swiss midfielder since his departure from Borussia Monchengladbach in January 2022.
The 26-year-old has made just 27 competitive appearances for both Juventus and Chelsea since his move, being deprived of game time despite being sent on loan to develop his performance.
In the Premier League, Zakaria played just 413 minutes for the Blues in a switch that couldn’t have come at a less convenient time for the player, considering Chelsea’s struggles.
The midfielder failed to integrate under any of the three managers that took charge at Stamford Bridge last campaign, in a year that failed to hand the Geneva-born gem the experience and game time needed to take back to Turin.
In Villa’s interest, the 49-capped Swiss international could be given a replenished shot at redemption in the Premier League, where his talents could be used to great effect in Emery’s system.
Having previously been hailed as an “unsung hero” and “hugely talented” player by scout Antonio Mango, Zakaria was snatched by the Italian giants for his stand-out performances in the Bundesliga at Borussia.
While his last consistent streak of game time came back in the 2021/22 campaign, the defensive midfielder hasn’t suffered greatly in terms of his individual form due to his lack of playing time, as highlighted by his international performances.
In the European Championship qualifiers, the former Chelsea loanee has maintained an average match rating of 7.30, registering a passing accuracy rate of 93% and winning an impressive 67% of his total duels in an average of 6.5 per game, via Sofascore.
Strengths in such areas are comparable to those highlighted by Villa ace Douglas Luiz, who Emery could replicate in signing Zakaria for a cheap fee to bolster his options in the middle of the park.
In the 2021/22 Bundesliga campaign, the Switzerland international averaged 1.48 tackles and 1.23 interceptions per 90, comparable to the Brazilian’s 2.24 tackles and 1.23 interceptions per 90 in the Premier League for Villa, as per FBref.
Adding to the depth in midfield would be a strong move for Emery, who will have the added fixtures of the UEFA Europa Conference League to consider next term.