Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will be hoping that he can continue to elevate his side to new levels once the 2024/25 campaign kicks off in a few weeks.
A fourth-placed finish in the Premier League last term meant Villa secured their spot in the Champions League. With difficult challenges ahead, the Spaniard has set about improving his squad this summer.
No fewer than six players have moved to the Midlands in recent weeks, including Ian Maatsen and Lewis Dobbin, but there will be a few more before the transfer window slams shut at the end of August.
The Spaniard clearly had one eye on Euro 2024, as it appears he wishes to bring someone who took part in the tournament to Villa Park this summer…
Aston Villa eyeing move for Ukrainian star
According to reports from Spanish outlet AS, via Sport Witness, last weekend Villa have reportedly held talks with Girona sensation Viktor Tsygankov over a potential move to the Premier League this summer.
Although Manchester United are also showing interest in the winger, Emery has apparently told the Ukrainian that he sees him as a vital part of the project he is building in the Midlands.
His release clause currently stands at just €30m (£26m) and this shouldn’t prove to be a problem for the Spaniard, especially with the club receiving a boost in their finances due to Champions League participation next season.
Player
Club signed from
Ian Maatsen
Chelsea
Lewis Dobbin
Everton
Ross Barkley
Luton Town
Samuel Iling-Junior
Juventus
Cameron Archer
Sheffield United
Enzo Barrenechea
Juventus
With more matches to play during the 2024/25 campaign due to European and domestic fixtures, it is clear Emery must add some depth to his squad, particularly in the attacking department.
With this in mind, a move for Tsygankov would be an ideal signing for the club and his statistics from last season certainly showcase how impressive he is from a wide position.
Viktor Tsygankov’s season in numbers for Girona
The Spanish side were the surprise package in La Liga last season, claiming a stunning third-place finish behind Real Madrid and Barcelona, scoring 85 goals in the process – the second-highest total in the entire division.
While Artem Dovbyk scored the most out of the squad with 24 top-flight goals, Tsygankov chipped in with eight of his own, which ranked him fourth in the entire first team.
Additionally, the Ukrainian also managed seven assists, which again ranked him fourth, while ranking third for big chances created (12), fourth for key passes per game (1.1), fifth for successful dribbles per game (0.7) and third for shots on goal (1.5), showcasing his attacking abilities throughout the campaign.
He typically featured on the right wing last season, but over his career, the attacker has also operated on the opposite flank numerous times, even being deployed as an attacking midfielder if required.
It is clear that Emery will probably utilise him on the right, especially if the rumours are to be believed that Moussa Diaby is departing the club, but Tsygankov has also been compared to one of the stars of Euro 2024 – Dani Olmo.
How Tsygankov compares to Dani Olmo
Olmo began Spain’s victorious tournament on the bench but emerged as a key player in their triumph after grabbing an assist in their final group game against Albania.
From then on, Olmo went on to score in three successive knockout matches, including a goal and an assist in the quarter-final win over Germany.
Across the entire tournament, the Spaniard was sensational, creating three big chances, averaging 1.8 key passes per game and succeeding with 2.3 dribbles per game – a stunning success rate of 73% – to prove that he was certainly one of the finest players in Germany.
Football FanCast's Team of the Tournament.
Emery would dearly love a player with his talent adorning the colours of Villa, but it looks as though Olmo might well have his pick of clubs following his wonderful four weeks at Euro 2024.
Tsygankov might play in a different position to Olmo, but the Spanish gem is the fifth-most comparable player to the Girona star via FBref, and as analyst Ben Mattinson put it, is a "very dangerous creator."
Indeed, the duo registered similar statistics domestically for their respective clubs last season with regard to goals and assists (15 vs 9), shots on target per 90 (0.66 vs 0.81), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.21 vs 3.79) and successful take on percentage (41.5% vs 43.1%) last season.
Despite operating in different areas of the pitch, the pair both clearly have an eye for goal while are more than capable of generating plenty of chances for their teammates during a season, something which Emery would love to have in his current setup.
After any major tournament, the players who star always see their transfer valuation increase rapidly, while interest in them almost doubles overnight.
Olmo deserves a big move, but so does Tsygankov, even though he only played once at the tournament.
Despite having a 93% pass success rate during the loss to Romania in their opening group stage match, Tsygankov failed to complete a successful dribble, create a big chance or make a key pass, while failing to register a goal or an assist.
This led to him being dropped for the final two group stage matches as Ukraine missed out on the knockouts by the skin of their teeth, becoming the first side to finish on four points and miss out on the next stage.
Regardless, the winger enjoyed a stunning season in Spain and this is what he should be measured on as Emery looks to bolster his first-team squad.
It looks like he may be selling another player or two in the coming weeks, which will release funds for future arrivals. Signing Tsygankov should be at the top of his list, there is no doubt about that.
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