Villa could sign a suitable partner for Torres for a “total package” of £40m

Aston Villa have enjoyed a whirlwind few weeks when it comes to transfer activity.

Unai Emery has been forced to act quickly to bring Villa into line with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, meaning several players must be sold before June 30.

This has seen Tim Iroegbunam and Omari Kellyman leave the club to join Everton and Chelsea respectively, while midfielder Douglas Luiz completes a move to Juventus. This sale should give Villa some freedom in the transfer market to make a few of their own, and they are off to a good start.

Indeed, Ian Maatsen has arrived from Chelsea, and Lewis Dobbin has also joined the club, as Emery has strengthened his squad ahead of next term's Champions League football.

It doesn't look like the Spaniard is standing there. Could he be making the right move for a defender who is attracting the attention of several European heavyweights?

Aston Villa are showing an interest in the Ligue 1 defender

What a difference two years can make in football. Thanks to qualifying for Europe's premier club competition, Villa are real contenders to sign the continent's best players.

More recently, they have been linked with a move to sign France defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who has been attracting interest from far and wide over the past 12 months.

According to journalist Sebastien Denis earlier this month, Villa are “very interested” in signing the defender this summer, but face stiff competition for his signature.

The same source claims that Juventus have already spoken to his agent about a possible move, while Bayer Leverkusen could turn to him as a replacement if Edmond Tapsoba leaves this summer.

Borussia Dortmund are also interested, suggesting that Emery will have to present a strong offer for the player to bring him to the Premier League.

He could be had for around £40m, which could represent a nice piece of club-to-club exchange.

This interest comes after he enjoyed another excellent season for OGC Nice in the French top flight.

Jean-Clair Todibo's season by the numbers

Such has been his consistency, Todibo has missed four Ligue 1 games all season, just twice through injury (the others were through suspension), suggesting that he often stays fit and healthy.

Nice finished fifth during the 2023/24 campaign and Todibo was one of their best performers.

Indeed, among his teammates, the defender ranks second in passing accuracy per game (73.9), while also ranking second in accurate long balls per game (3.2), third in runs (1.9), second in interceptions (1.3) and first in clearances. (3.1) per game, showing how effective he has been in the heart of the defense.

The Frenchman was one of the standout players in Nice's talented squad, yet his displays saw him ranked higher than his peers.

Across Europe's top five leagues, Todibo currently ranks in the top 4% for pass attempts per 90 (84.43), while he ranks in the top 4% for completions per 90 (0.54). This shows that he is not only confident in distributing the ball, but he is not afraid to push forward at any time, to get the ball out of defense.

Todibo's attacking prowess is also proven by the fact that he ranks in the top 12% of assists per 90 (0.07) and the top 9% of shots per 90 (1.43), indicating that Emery will not just sign the player. who has good passing ability, but can start attacking from Villa's half.

Now imagine the back two between Todibo and Pau Torres next season? It could help Villa progress to the Champions League.

Why Jean-Clair Todibo won at Vila

Torres joined the Midlands side from Villarreal last summer and enjoyed an impressive first season at the club.

Like Todibo, he is confident playing at the back. Compared to his positional peers in Europe's top five leagues, Torres ranks in the top 5% of forward carries per 90 (1.53) and ranks in the top 2% for effective takeaways per 90 (0.62), which just goes to show how forward-looking the defender is.

Defensively, the Spaniard won 51% of all duels in the top flight last season while being tackled 0.6 times and losing the ball only 8.9 times per game, showing his perfect qualities at the heart of the defense.

Adding Todibo to his side could allow the pair to shine, both domestically and in Europe, as Emery looks to continue the momentum that has been building at Villa Park over the past 18 months.

Finding another level for the Frenchman – beating the likes of Dortmund and Juventus in the process – would represent a huge statement of intent and would give his team a huge boost.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig praised the player in January 2023, saying: “One of the most underrated CBs in Europe right now. Having a really good season even though Nice didn't win much.

“Good qualities that build and protect. Complete the package.”

There is no doubt that he has improved since these words almost 18 months ago. No longer one of the most underrated defenders, Todibo has made a name for himself with impressive performances for Nice over the past two seasons.

£40m may sound like a lot, but if Villa are to progress to the Champions League, they must spend on players who can quickly improve on what they currently have.

Todibo has not even entered his senior years and there is no doubt that if he plays in the Premier League, they can make a big profit from him after a few years.

A lot will depend on how many players they make, but signing Todibo should be a priority for Emery as the summer progresses.