Aston Villa head into the Premier League campaign full of confidence. Not only have they got European football to look forward to this term, but manager Unai Emery has significantly bolstered his team with smart, forward-thinking additions.
Pau Torres, Moussa Diaby and Youri Tielemans will all strengthen Villa’s first team having arrived this summer, giving them the required boost in quality which could see them follow in the footsteps of West Ham United and win the Europa Conference League.
The Spaniard won't be done with his transfer business, however, as the Midlands outfit have been linked with Marc Pubill.
Who is Marc Pubill?
According to reports in Spain, Villa are showing an interest in the Levante right-back and are currently ‘in talks’ with regard to a potential move this summer.
The 20-year-old is valued at €5m (£4m) by the second-tier side and with UD Almeria also keeping tabs on the defender, Emery could face a battle to secure his signature.
The prospect of playing European football should be a major incentive, alongside developing in one of the best leagues in the world.
Does Calum Chambers have a future at Aston Villa?
Since joining the Villa Park side in January 2022 from Arsenal, Chambers has played just 28 matches, hardly justifying the £50k-per-week that he is currently earning.
Indeed, last term, the Englishman started just five matches, with three of those starts coming under Emery, and it’s evident that his future appears bleak.
Across the whole Villa squad, Chambers ranked in a lowly 14th position for tackles per game (0.6) while finishing in 12th spot for interceptions (0.5) and 11th for clearances (0.7) per game, suggesting that even when he did get a chance, his performances were lacking any sort of substance.
Pubill may not be the finished article, but he could certainly be a better choice than Chambers to fill in at right-back whenever Matty Cash is injured or needs to be rested due to the hectic schedule.
The youngster managed to gain some experience in La Liga during the 2021/22 season, playing 11 games for Levante, yet it was last term when he really nailed down a spot in their defence.
Journalist Mario Jimenez once dubbed Pubill as a “top right-back” recently, and he showcased his defensive attributes during 2022/23.
The Spaniard ranked fourth in the squad for tackles per game (1.6) while also winning a staggering 75% of his aerial duels – 1.9 per game – and this could certainly give Emery plenty of food for thought.
The young sensation clearly has a bright future in the game and his 0.5 key passes per game figure would have ranked him as the third-best Villa defender across that metric last season, proving that he also has a forward-thinking mindset.
With squad depth a key factor in any success Villa may achieve next season, adding a player such as Pubill, who is young, talented, and hungry to learn, could be a wise investment by Emery.
It could also give him the licence to ditch Chambers in the process, allowing the 20-year-old to become the understudy to Cash.
