Aston Villa identify ‘top priority’ signing after dazzling 2026 World Cup - journalist
Aston Villa has identified Neil El Aynaoui as their “top priority” signing this summer after the Roma star’s impressive 2026 World Cup.
Reports have emerged that the request to sign the 25-year-old has come directly from Unai Emery.
Both his agents and the Moroccan international will consider a summer move viable if a compelling financial offer comes in.
Villa face competition from several Premier League clubs for his signature, but are currently exploring all options in hopes of finalising a deal.
El Aynaoui was one of the standout players for Morocco in the 2026 World Cup as they reached the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The midfielder moved to Roma last summer and played 25 matches in the Serie A.
How good is Neil El Aynaoui?
Looking past his 2026 World Cup performances, El Aynaoui also had a solid season in the Serie A.
The midfielder helped Roma finish third in the table and qualify for the Champions League once again.
While he was only used as a squad player, making just eight starts in the division, when he did get game time, he impressed.
According to Fotmob on 28 July, he averaged 0.09 goals, a 0.10 xG, 0.18 assists, a 0.09 xG, a 35.3 per cent crossing accuracy, 0.82 successful dribbles and 1.54 interceptions per 90 minutes in the Serie A.
Therefore, every sign indicates that he would do an excellent job at Villa in the Premier League for the upcoming campaign.
However, it remains to be seen if Todo Mercado Web’s report leads to Villa signing the midfielder on a permanent deal.
Who else are Aston Villa looking to sign this summer?
Football Insider has exclusively revealed that Aston Villa are also looking to sign Nicolas Jackson this summer.
The Birmingham outfit enquired about the striker when they sold Morgan Rogers to Chelsea.
The Blues are set to demand £60million for the attacker, despite him being loaned out to Bayern Munich last season.
He scored 11 goals in 34 matches in all competitions as the German giants won the Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal.
However, it remains to be seen if Villa will make a move for Jackson or El Aynaoui over the coming weeks as they prepare for the 2026-27 campaign.