West Ham stunned, as Unai Emery demands Aston Villa sign Hammers linked Real Madrid star
Real Madrid duo Brahim Diaz and Rodrygo
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has ‘marked’ Real Madrid attacking midfielder Brahim Diaz as a key target for the January window, according to reports.
Emery has been a resounding success at Villa Park since replacing Steven Gerrard in October last year, and he is keen to continue his team’s upward trend.
Last season, the Spaniard guided Aston Villa from being in serious danger of relegation to an impressive seventh-place finish. The Midlands club have got off to an excellent start this term, too, and sit in fifth place as it stands.
Emery has already brought in some exciting players like Moussa Diaby and Pau Torres but is keen to bolster his squad further in January.
Now, it seems that Aston Villa have identified Real Madrid’s Diaz as a target, but they will face competition for his signature.
As previously reported by TEAMtalk, West Ham are also interested in Diaz, as David Moyes looks to continue his team’s solid start to the campaign.
With that in mind, we could potentially see a bidding war take place between the two Premier League clubs this winter.
Aston Villa eyeing January swoop for Diaz
According to reports from Spain, as cited by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are ‘the latest team to join the race’ for Diaz.
The 24-year-old returned to Real Madrid in the summer after spending the last three years on loan with AC Milan.
Diaz established himself as a key player for the Italian giants. There, he made a total of 124 appearances in all competitions, scoring 18 goals and making 15 assists in the process.
However, after returning to the Bernabeu, the Spanish attacking midfielder has seen his playing time diminish significantly. He is behind the likes of Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde in the pecking order and has started just one LaLiga game this season.
As a result of his lack of minutes, Diaz is reportedly ‘contemplating leaving Real Madrid’ in January, which has caught the attention of Aston Villa and West Ham.
Diaz is under contract at Real Madrid until 2027, and the report states that he is valued at €20m (approx. £17.4m) by the LaLiga side.
The winter window ‘promises to be exciting’ for Diaz and it will be interesting to see if Aston Villa, or indeed West Ham, do make a concrete bid for his services.
