Why Aston Villa should take a gamble on Franco Cervi
As per Jornal de Noticias (h/t MSN), Aston Villa are interested in signing Benfica star Franco Cervi ahead of the new campaign.
The report suggests that Cervi has fallen out of favour under Benfica boss Jorge Jesus and could be available this summer. La Liga side Celta Vigo and Turkish outfits Besiktas and Alanyaspor also remain keen on securing the Argentine’s services.
Profile
Born in Argentina, Cervi rose through the ranks of Rosario Central’s youth system and made 52 appearances for the club’s senior side before joining Benfica in the summer of 2016. He immediately established himself as a key member of the squad and helped his side lift the Portuguese league title and the Portuguese Cup title in his debut season.
Cervi was also instrumental in the club’s title-winning campaign in 2018/19 and has made over 150 appearances for the Portuguese outfit, scoring 20 goals and providing 25 assists, in the process. He has been in good nick in the last few years. Cervi has also been capped four times by Argentina since his debut in September 2018.
Cervi could provide depth to Villa’s attack
At the moment, Aston Villa have just two natural wingers in their midst, in the form of Trezeguet and Anwar El Ghazi. Manager Dean Smith largely used skipper and top scorer Jack Grealish on the left flank during the 2019/20 season. However, he has been heavily linked with an exit.
Given the lack of options in the wide areas, Villa must look to add more depth to the squad.In that regard, Cervi would be a sensible option for the club.
The Argentine, who primarily plays on the left wing, managed to rack up 4 goals and 4 assists in 35 games across all competitions this season. Though his numbers may not be among the best, he can play a key role for Smith’s side next season if he is able to replicate the good form.
His inclusion would bring in healthy competition to the squad, whilst also adding some much-needed depth to the wide areas. He has been in good form in recent years and can help Villa in their quest for a respectable finish and progress in further campaigns.
Read more
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Verdict
Villa are lacking depth in the wide areas, with just Trezeguet, El Ghazi and Grealish being the options. Thus, Smith could do well with another wide player, who can boost the team’s performance. Thus, they should take a chance with Cervi, who has been a key player for his side, by forking out £13.5m for the midfielder.
