Aston Villa racing Chelsea for "outstanding" £39m ace who's keen on PL move
da pinnacle： Aston Villa are now racing Chelsea for the signature of an “outstanding” ace, having conducted checks during the international break.
Villa keen on new defender after disappointing start
da fazobetai： Just three games into the new Premier League season, Unai Emery clearly has real problems to deal with at both ends of the pitch, with his side failing to score and picking up just one point, which came on the opening day against Newcastle United.
Villa’s defensive deficiencies were also on display in the 3-0 defeat against Crystal Palace last time out, with Tyrone Mings and Matty Cash both struggling, losing the majority of the duels they contested throughout the match.
It is still a little early to go into full panic mode, but after mainly strengthening in attacking areas during the summer, signing the likes of Evann Guessand, Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho, the Villans have now set their sights on a new defender.
That is according to a report from The Boot Room, which states Aston Villa have been conducting checks on Joel Ordonez during the international break, sending a scout to watch the Ecuador international in action against Argentina.
The Villa delegation may well be happy with what they saw too, given that Ecuador picked up a surprise 1-0 victory in their World Cup qualifier against the reigning champions, but there is set to be competition for the Club Brugge defender’s signature.
Chelsea also had a scout in attendance to run the rule over Ordonez, who transfer expert Graeme Bailey described as an “outstanding young defender”, before going on to add:
“It is safe to assume that he will be leaving Club Brugge in 2026. He is going to the World Cup finals next summer, and I am told that he is almost certain to have gone before that point.”
The Ecuador star also confirmed late last year he is interested in joining a Premier League club, boosting Villa’s chance of getting a deal done.
Ordonez could be expensive signing for Aston Villa
The move may be a little on the pricey side, with previous reports suggesting the Club Brugge defender is valued at around £39m by the Belgian club, but there are signs that a deal could still be worth pursuing, with the starlet particularly impressive in possession.
Statistic
Average per 90 (past year
Passes attempted
66.30 (87th percentile)
Pass completion %
91.6% (94th percentile)
Progressive passes
5.31 (92nd percentile)
Just 21-years-old, the youngster already has a great deal of first-team experience at Club Brugge, with 84 appearances to his name, including 12 in the Champions League last season.
The Ecuadorian put in an assured performance in his side’s 1-0 win against Argentina, making four clearances and two tackles, which resulted in a 7.2 SofaScore match rating, the second-highest of any player on the pitch.
Ordonez is showing maturity beyond his years, so it is promising news that Aston Villa retain an interest, and a January move should be considered if Emery is not able to solve the current defensive issues.