Aston Villa seem to be determined to make a lasting impact on the Premier League, having fought hard for promotion to the top flight for a few years now. Dean Smith has already made 10 new additions to the squad at his disposal but is still linked with a few exciting names for a move this summer.
And reports from Football Italia now claim that Juventus star Mattia Perin could be their 11th signing of this summer. The story claims that Villa have approached Juve’s sporting director Fabio Paratici over this deal.
The former Genoa shot-stopper has failed to impress in Turin and was on the verge of joining Portuguese giants Benfica. But a failed medical has now given Aston Villa a glimmer of hope.
Who Is Perin?
Having started his senior career with Genoa, Perin registered 46 clean sheets in 151 games at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, in his eight years at the club. He also broke into the Italian national team in 2014 but has since suffered several injuries, which have cost him his international career.
Perin has suffered ruptures to ACLs in both his knees and is now suffering from a shoulder injury, that saw him fail the medical ahead of his proposed move to Benfica.
He joined Juventus last summer but failed to cement a place in the first team, making just nine league appearances.
The 26-year old is an excellent shot-stopper and is also adept at releasing the ball quickly for his wingers. He is usually accurate with his passing and can be effective playing out from the back.
He is pro-active inside the box and is happy to step out and collect any cross close to him. He is a confident player who will only make Villa’s defence more stable.
Does Dean Smith Need Him?
If not for his injury record, Perin would have been regarded as one of the best shot-stoppers in Europe. He has an impressive record when playing for long periods and could easily cost a lot.
But reports suggest that he could be available for as low as €15m, which will be an absolute steal for any club that needs him.
Orjan Nyland was the first choice for Villa at the start of the last season but Jed Steer did a decent job when called upon and was used more frequently at the back end of the campaign, including the playoffs.
Both players have long term contracts at the club while Lovre Kalinic is also an option on the sidelines. So it is not clear why Villa are targeting Perin at the moment.
The Italian star surely is an upgrade but unless they sell one of Nyland or Steer, signing Perin is only a luxury for Villa.
