2 hours ago
1 If there’s one thing that’s stood out since Unai Emery took over at Aston Villa it’s the quality of the signings that he and Monchi have made, and it looks like the pair are at it again with a swoop for a striker with 125 career goals to his name.
When the Spaniard walked through the doors at Villa Park, the club was on its knees due in no small part to the disastrous reign of previous managerial incumbent, Steven Gerrard.
The former Liverpool midfielder was the ‘big name’ capture for the dugout, but he was quickly found out as not fit for purpose, and so he disappeared to the Saudi Pro League with his tail between his legs just 11 months after being unveiled at Villa Park.

 
Fortunately for Villa, that opened up the opportunity to land Emery, and the Midlands-based side have never looked back.
A first Champions League campaign in over 40 years is a reality, and the 52-year-old will insist on 100 percent effort and concentration in all competitions.
The Aston Villa bench celebrate a goal (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)There’s no point in celebrating European football if they’re not up to the job domestically, though one can be assured with Emery on the bench, he won’t allow standards to drop.
In terms of prestige, the squad is as valuable as it’s ever been, with the likes of Ollie Watkins, Jhon Duran and Amadou Onana et al strutting their stuff in claret and blue.
They, and others, would walk into most other Premier League sides, and that is a sign of the level of player that Emery desires for his squad.
Aston Villa one of a number of clubs to be monitoring Jonathan David
It’s therefore not a surprise to understand that Aston Villa are, apparently, one of a number of clubs that want to acquire Lille’s Jonathan David on a free transfer (TBR Football).
Transfermarkt note the €50m-rated player has 160 goal and assist contributions in his 276 career games, of which 125 of those are goals.
Although they’ll face a battle to land him, were Villa to offer him the most favourable terms and he accepts, they’ll have a real goal machine on their hands to complement an emerging Villa squad.
