What Aston Villa Should Expect From $16 Million Transfer Álex Moreno

Unai Emery is close to recruiting his first signing as Aston Villa manager, with Real Betis’ 29-year-old full-back Álex Moreno set to join the team in the coming days for €15 million ($16 million), including variables (Spanish).

There has reportedly been some clamor for Moreno’s signature, with fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest—no stranger to new acquisitions under their transformative Greek ownership—supposedly an admirer of the La Liga man.

Moreno, a regular for Betis under wise head coach Manuel Pellegrini, was not nailed on to join Villa, with the former Manchester City boss eager to keep the player. That was an understandable position, given his occasional goal threat and, more importantly, his role in one of Spain’s most stubborn league defenses this term—third best with only 13 conceded at the time of writing.

Staying with aspirant Champions League side Betis remained an attractive sporting project for the player. The alternative said this was probably Moreno’s best chance to sample English top-tier soccer at one of the country’s grandest clubs. So, here’s what supporters can expect from him.

Firstly, the positives. Moreno is regarded as a solid wing-back in Spanish soccer circles and has been part of an impressive Betis team realistically fighting for third place in the league, which would be its highest standing in 26 years. He has also helped the team finish top of its Europa League group and look towards a lucrative Spanish Super Cup appearance in Saudi Arabia, where it will now compete without him.

Stylistically, he’s quick, tenacious, and likes to get forward when he can. He’s also not injury prone, regularly completing 90 minutes for Los Verdiblancos in the top competitions. Of course, fitness and reliability are musts when drafting anyone.

However, what’s most significant is the structure behind this move. Here is a player Emery has set out to attract, keen to build a team in his image. That can only be good for Villa fans who want to see the project take shape, starting with Moreno.

For a spritely player approaching 30, the €15 million ($16 million) fee touted makes for reasonable business in the current market. All told, Moreno is a relatively cheap, short to mid-term purchase. And it should warn other Premier League clubs that some La Liga talents are affordable and worth pursuing, even though Spain’s premier division is not the market of choice in many English boardrooms.

From a less optimistic perspective, the signing faces some minor obstacles. Moreno is not an imposing physical presence and could require patience to settle in and perform consistently in a different soccer climate—though that is often the case when anyone moves abroad.

Moreover, he’s not necessarily a considerable upgrade on what Villa already has in its ranks. Frenchman Lucas Digne often fills the left-back position, while Ludwig Augustin, formerly at Betis’ rival Sevilla, provides decent backup. And then there’s experienced Ashley Young in that role too. Any transfer may start a ripple effect and departures for one or two of those faces.

Moreno, nurtured in Barcelona’s youth teams at the beginning of his career, is yet to make a senior appearance for Spain and has likely missed that opportunity. However, that’s no ideal barometer to judge the late bloomer, bearing in mind the deep talent pool into which La Roja can dive.

The key lies with Emery, who can get the most from seemingly unremarkable players. At Villarreal, he took an unfancied team to Europa League glory and a Champions League semifinal. With the necessary support, there’s no reason he cannot achieve similar success again with the right additions in place.