Aston Villa told to sign £68m midfield wizard this summer to take Unai Emery's side to next level

Aston Villa were knocked out of the Champions League earlier this week by PSG. Unai Emery’s side put up a great fight against the Ligue 1 champions and can take a lot of confidence from their second leg fightback despite falling short in the end. The Midlands outfit are aiming to get into Europe again for next season.

They also remain in the FA Cup as they look to get their hands on the trophy. Next up is a Premier League clash against Newcastle United. They then face an away trip to Manchester City in the league next Tuesday.

Aston Villa urged to sign Martin Hjulmand

Former Arsenal player Niklas Bendtner has urged Aston Villa to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Morten Hjulmand. He has said, as per a report by A Bola: “I didn’t know Hjulmand very well until a few years ago and he impressed me, not only in the national team, but also in Sporting. You want to play in a team that wins. You don’t want to move somewhere where you don’t fight for championships. I feel like he can play in the Premier League or Spanish football. I think he is good enough to adapt to both.

“At Atletico, he would even enter the field hand in hand with Diego Simeone. Similarly fit in Newcastle midfield. They have a crazy dynamic, the three boys. I feel like it could also be an asset at Aston Villa. In these clubs that have already done well, I see him coming in and improving even more.”

If Aston Villa signed Hjulmand, he would give them more competition and depth in the middle of the park. He is someone who has a lot of energy and he would give Emery something different to pick from in the heart of midfield. If they get into Europe, they could do with some more bodies.

The 25-year-old, who is a Denmark international with 17 caps under his belt, has been with Sporting Lisbon since joining them in 2023. Prior to his move there, he had spells at Admira Wacker and Lecce. He has become a key player for his current club and they could face a battle to keep hold of him down the line, despite his £68million release clause.

Aston Villa reaction to PSG loss

Aston Villa made a great account of themselves last time out against PSG. Speaking after the tie, John McGinn said he was proud of their performance: “Instantly, after the game, it’s disappointment. You come so, so close to getting to extra-time, with a chance to get into the semi-final. But, forgetting that, just pride, really. Proud of the boys. Tonight, I think if you’re an Aston Villa fan, going home, you’re proud.

“I’m proud as the captain, proud to lead the boys out, and next year we want more. Nights like this are what this club deserves, and we showed tonight we can compete at this level. We obviously don’t want to be proud of being out of the competition. We don’t want to be proud of losing over two legs, but certainly, if you can look at each guy in the dressing room, we’re proud of what we’ve done tonight.”