Aston Villa ‘on verge’ of first January transfer completion after second and improved bid

Aston Villa are on the verge of completing their first signing under new manager Unai Emery as Real Betis left-back Alex Moreno failed to join his current side on a trip to Saudi Arabia. Betis are set to play in the Super Cup but Moreno did not travel to the Middle East.

Speculation has been totting up surrounding the Spaniard’s future with Villa keeping a close eye on his situation. It was reported last week that a first bid had been rejected by Betis but a second, improved bid is now said to be on the table for Los Verdiblancos.

According to Mateo Gonzalez, a reliable journalist in Spain, the signing of Moreno is “finalising” after the Villans made a better offer than initially. The 29-year-old has earned a reputation as one of the best full-backs in Spain and he has played 15 times in La Liga this campaign, notching three assists.

Who is Aston Villa transfer target Alex Moreno?

Moreno is a versatile defender and midfielder from Spain. Now 29 years of age, the Betis man can play either as a left-back, left winger, or right winger – though he has played predominantly at the left of a back four with Betis.

He joined Betis at the start of the 2019/29 campaign and he has been a regular starter ever since. Last season was perhaps Moreno’s best to date as he scored five goals and contributed four assists in 30 La Liga appearances.

It took a while for Moreno’s career to take off in the Spanish top tier as he featured for Rayo Vallecano in La Liga 2 for a few years before their promotion in 2018. He played one full season for Vallecano in La Liga ahead of moving to Betis for a fee in the region of €7 million (£6.2 million).

Standing at 5ft 9in (1.79m), Moreno is not one to win too many aerial battles and he is fairly weak in the challenge, but he makes up for it in other areas. A player with a decent level of flair, quick feet and a lot of stamina, Moreno is very well-suited to playing as an attacking full-back.

He has decent defensive awareness and is well-rounded with his passing attributes, too. If signed by Villa, Moreno could give Lucas Digne some competition at left-back. Emery may also decide to utilise Moreno’s pace as a winger off the bench, providing a threat against tired back lines.

The 29-year-old has won two major trophies so far in his career, lifting the La Liga 2 title with Vallecano at the end of the 2017/18 season and victorious in the Spanish Cup with Betis last campaign (2021/22). Moreno, whose Betis contract expires in June 2025, has a current market value of around €20 million (£17.6 million).