Who is Aston Villa transfer target Alex Moreno? £17m star’s position, play style, age & height

Aston Villa are closing in on the signing of Real Betis ace Alex Moreno, according to a host of reports this week. The Spaniard, who has notched three assists in 18 appearances across La Liga and the UEFA Europa League this season, rejected Villa’s Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest in the summer.

With the Unai Emery era now firmly underway and the January transfer window open for business, it is expected a fair few reinforcements will be made so the former Arsenal boss can make his mark. It has been widely sourced that a marquee signing up front is a must, but there have also been plenty of links with defenders and central midfielders to add squad depth.

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 Betis left-back failed to join his current side on a trip to Saudi Arabia for the highly-anticipated Spanish Super Cup clash with FC Barcelona.

So, who is Moreno and what could he bring to the Lions if he were to head to Villa Park? Here is everything you need to know about the Betis ace, including his position, playing style, age, height, club history and career achievements.

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).