Unai Emery has already explained why Aston Villa should complete Tottenham transfer

Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery is reportedly interested in signing Giovani Lo Celso from Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

The midfielder only started four Premier League games last season following back-to-back loan spells at Villarreal in the second half of the 2021/22 season and 2022/23. Emery was, of course, the manager of Villarreal on both occasions when Lo Celso joined the Yellow Submarine.

Villa boss Emery also worked with Lo Celso at Paris Saint-Germain, before the Argentinian excelled in La Liga with Real Betis. He produced 14 goal contributions in 32 appearances under Quique Setien, which prompted Tottenham to take Lo Celso on loan in the summer of 2019, before the club exercised the option to sign him permanently for £27 million the following January, having already paid the Spanish club a loan fee of around £15 million.

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Lo Celso struggled to make an impact at Spurs and left on loan for Villarreal in January 2022, after he recorded two assists in 28 league appearances in his first season, before starting 11 times in 2020/21. Emery wanted to sign Lo Celso to add more versatility in his squad.

After Villarreal signed Lo Celso in 2022, Emery said: "Giovani is a player I know, because I had him at PSG. At Betis, he was great and that helped him go to Tottenham. When the possibility of bringing him in came up, we did so because he's a versatile player. With him, we will try and be better."

Lo Celso said: “I wanted to play for Villarreal. I wanted to come here and I thank the club and the board for trusting me. I knew Emery and the coaching staff. It’s a club that competes for nice goals." He added: "He is a coach who knows how he works and what he can give you. This is a team that plays very attractively and I identify with this style of play. We’re fine, but we have to move up the table.

"I have always adapted to the functions of the different coaches I had and the needs of each team. I don’t have a preferred position. I adapt to what the coach asks of me. I am open to playing where he asks me to."

The Sun claim Villa are interested in signing Lo Celso this summer while he is likely to finally leave Tottenham permanently. The 28-year-old has a year left on his contract and was used sparingly by boss Ange Postecoglou this season.

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