Emery's next Duran: Aston Villa making move to sign £59m "maverick"

[ad_1] Aston Villa roared again as Premier League title contenders once they convincingly beat Nottingham Forest on Saturday lunchtime.

Heading into this conflict, Unai Emery's males did have their confidence dented by a 4-1 loss on the highway to league leaders Arsenal, however they managed to reply in type by getting the higher of Sean Dyche's males with ease, as Ollie Watkins and John McGinn have been in amongst the targets for the free-flowing hosts.

Emery might be trying on the switch window as an opportunity to usher in some reinforcements to make sure their title cost does not take any extra noticeable wobbles, as a shock transfer for an attacker - already located within the Premier League - is allegedly within the works.

Aston Villa plan thrilling transfer for £59m star The summer time window did not see a lot of switches happen at Villa Park, with Evan Guessand's arrival from OGC Good the standout transfer, having value Emery and Co a bumper £26m charge.

With each Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott arguably not working as mortgage incomings, too, Villa might herald Borussia Dortmund playmaker Julian Brandt in January as a recent midfield presence, with the inventive German's contract is about to run out this coming summer time.

<img width="1650" height="826" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="julian-brandt-borussia-dortmund" data-img-url="https://static0.footballfancastimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mixcollage-24-sep-2025-03-11-pm-7704.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2" src="https://static0.footballfancastimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mixcollage-24-sep-2025-03-11-pm-7704.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2"/> Villa are 'making a transfer' for Manchester Metropolis attacker Omar Marmoush, as per a brand new report from TEAMtalk, with whispers that the £59m star is on the Premier League facet's radar rising from Egypt, because the Metropolis quantity seven competes for his nation on the African Cup of Nations.

The report additional states that Tottenham Hotspur have made enquiries concerning the Cairo-born ahead, however even with an entire host of golf equipment taking a flowery now within the reserve Metropolis striker, additionally it is famous that Pep Guardiola's males usually are not eager on the concept of giving up the ex-Eintracht Frankfurt ahead mid-season.

<img width="1650" height="826" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Marmoush-Man-City-Premier-League" data-img-url="https://static0.footballfancastimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marmoush-man-city-premier-league.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2" src="https://static0.footballfancastimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marmoush-man-city-premier-league.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2"/> Nonetheless, Marmoush would certainly love a transfer to the West Midlands if it means extra recreation time immediately turns into obtainable to the 26-year-old.

Emery might even seal one other Jhon Duran-style deal by successful the Egyptian's signature, because the Spaniard remodeled the 22-year-old hotshot right into a £64m asset throughout a whirlwind Villa stint.

How Marmoush could possibly be Emery's subsequent Duran Duran was a sudden arrival on English shores mid-way via the 2023/24 season, costing the Villans round £18m to usher in from MLS outfit Chicago Fireplace.

He immediately made an impression as a gung-ho ahead presence hungry for targets, resulting in the Colombian bagging 20 targets in complete for Emery's males from 78 clashes.

Amazingly, 12 of these strikes got here the South American's method within the Premier League from solely seven begins, with Emery happening to hail Duran as "particular" for what number of occasions he bailed the Villans out of bother in assault as an impression participant.

Marmoush would hope he could possibly be as impactful from minute one in every of his Villa profession if a transfer have been to materialise, with the quantity seven a devastating attacking presence - very similar to Duran throughout his Villa prime - on the peak of his powers within the Bundesliga. Earlier than heading to the Etihad, he collected a shocking 15 targets and 9 assists from simply 17 league appearances throughout his ultimate Frankfurt marketing campaign.

Marmoush vs Duran: Profession

Stat

Marmoush

Duran

Video games performed

259

188

Minutes performed

14,932 minutes

8,930 minutes

Targets scored

79

53

Assists

36

14

Hat-tricks

2

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

He has additionally shone in spurts on the Etihad, regardless of Guardiola not at all times handing him probably the most constant alternatives, with seven Premier League strikes subsequent to his title, from solely 1389 minutes of motion. Duran would solely be handed 1214 minutes himself, as Emery eyes up one other sensational mid-season seize.

Accumulating one help for his troubles, too, from a minimal 233 minutes within the league this season, the £59m "maverick" - as scout Ben Mattinson labelled him when he was scoring targets for enjoyable at Frankfurt - might effectively explode into life within the West Midlands, if utilised as one other Duran-like presence by the ex-Arsenal supervisor.

Additionally able to a long-range bullet like Duran, as seen on this objective of the season contender final marketing campaign ripping the again of the web in opposition to AFC Bournemouth, this is likely to be an impressed addition that allows Villa to stay close to the highest of the Premier League standings, if the likes of Watkins fall sufferer to a different barren stretch of type.

This does really feel like considerably of an unlikely seize, however Villa have been earlier than in tempting one other outcast from Manchester to name Villa house in Marcus Rashford, with Marmoush aiming to resurrect his Premier League enjoying days in an analogous type if a swap does happen.

<img width="440" height="364" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="unai-emery-aston-villa-premier-league" data-img-url="https://static0.footballfancastimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/unai-emery-aston-villa-premier-league-4.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2" src="https://static0.footballfancastimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/unai-emery-aston-villa-premier-league-4.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2"/> Associated