Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is keen to add another winger to his squad. According to The Athletic, Villa have "considered" bolstering that department after deciding against a late move for Jack Harrison in the summer transfer window, with the Englishman joining Everton instead.
As that report notes, Leon Bailey is the only "out-and-out" winger regularly used by Emery, and he's entering the final 18 months of his deal, with talks due to be held over an extension. Villa and Emery, though, may have found a way to add to their depth without spending a single penny on transfer fees.
Villa duel Juventus for Anderson
Felipe Anderson is best known on British shores for his brief stint at West Ham following his £32.7m move from Lazio in 2018. The Brazilian would spend two years at the London Stadium before a loan move to Porto, and then a permanent return to Lazio, where he's played 25 games this season (Transfermarkt).
Now it seems Villa are exploring the possibility of bringing him back to the Premier League. As reported by Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports, the Midlands club are "showing interest" in signing Anderson on a Bosman deal as he approaches the end of his contract this summer.
Villa have already received the green light to open talks with his entourage because, under FIFA rules, players are free to hold pre-contract negotiations with foreign clubs when they reach the final six months of their deals.
That could give them an advantage over another of his suitors in Juventus, who are officially barred from making an approach because they too are based in Italy.
Anderson combines creativity with elite pressing
Villa fans may recall that Anderson's stint at West Ham was a mixed bag. In his first season, he was outstanding, scoring ten times and setting up five more, but he only found the net once in his second year, which is why David Moyes was willing to send him to Portugal (Transfermarkt).
His goal tally is identical this year, but crucially, he's already laid on five assists in the league, which ranks him in third place. His expected assisted goals tally stands at 3.5, which suggests that his teammates have been especially clinical in finishing off the chances he's created, but he remains the fourth-best playmaker in the division by that more representative metric (FBRef). Indeed, journalist Zach Lowy says the 30-year-old is capable of producing moments of "magic out of nothing".
Also key to Anderson's appeal is his outstanding defensive work. Nobody in Serie A has made more tackles in the final third than his nine, which shows the value he can bring to a side that wants to press high up the pitch.
What's more, he places 10th overall for dribblers challenged (38) and seventh for blocked passes (20), indicating that he's able to anticipate which direction the opponent will look to go. A lot of players boast a commendable work rate, but Anderson combines that with a genuine effectiveness out of possession, and that makes him a manager's dream.
