Aston Villa could get their hands on a Lionel Messi-approved asset as Tottenham's Giovani Lo Celso looks set to join their cause.
Unai Emery's side have already been incredibly busy this summer, and a £33.5million swap involving Lo Celso could add another new name to the squad. That's after Argentinian broadcaster Directv Sports reported Spurs will send the midfielder plus £20m in cash to Villa Park in order to sign Jacob Ramsey.
It appears a savvy move on Villa's part considering the club is in a race to balance its books ahead of its debut campaign in the Champions League. The Birmingham outfit is in a race to comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability regulations (PSR) and has already sold around £75m worth of players this summer, including Douglas Luiz's £43m move to Juventus.
The move for Lo Celso also looks a handy one, however, in that Villa will be signing a talent who comes highly rated by Messi himself. The playmaker was recently part of the Argentina squad alongside Messi that lifted the Copa America for a second time, and the nine-time Ballon d'Or-winner has even dubbed Lo Celso the team's best midfielder.
That's according to a 2023 report from AS, which suggested Messi had even recommended Lo Celso to former employers Barcelona as recently as last year. The 28-year-old spent 18 months on loan at Villarreal across 2022 and 2023 but was given a fresh lifeline at Tottenham by manager Ange Postecoglou and has since reintegrated into the team.
Lo Celso would have been part of the Argentina squad that lifted the 2022 World Cup were it not for a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined. However, the 57-cap international has since proved his worth once again after assisting Lautaro Martinez to beat Colombia 1-0 in extra time and win another Copa America.
It would appear Villa have been paying close attention to that development and see worth in Lo Celso, who is valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt. And the club are seemingly keen on the idea of a swap deal that nets them a considerable amount of cash at a time when finances are of utmost importance.
There was a time when Lo Celso was being tipped as Messi's heir in his own right and a potential successor to the superstar in Catalonia. However, injuries and inconsistency with certain managers at Spurs has seen his career stall at times in recent years.
He'll hope to correct that under Emery, who took him to the Champions League semi-finals when he first joined Villarreal on loan in 2022. The manager and Messi appear to have an appreciation for Lo Celso's talents in common, which could see Villa snag yet another smart signing this summer.