EXCLUSIVE: Villarreal fear Aston Villa raid for Yeremy Pino

Steve Kay

• Updated: 10 May 2023 12:36 BST
• 3 min read

Villarreal believe that Aston Villa will make a summer move for Spain international winger Yeremy Pino, FootballTransfers can reveal.

Pino, 20, has been a mainstay of the Villarreal side that has climbed to fifth in LaLiga and still harbours outside ambitions of reaching the Champions League next season.

A versatile attacker who has featured off both the left and right wing for his club this season, he has three goals and five assists to his credit.

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Villarreal fear that former head coach Unai Emery will be eager to sign Pino to the Premier League side, with Aston Villa in need of a wideman in the summer.

Emery has often been forced to use John McGinn off the right of midfield this season as opposed to in his more favoured central role, and so a winger will be a leading priority at Villa Park this summer.

FootballTransfers understands that Pino is seen as a potential solution to that problem.

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Although the 20-year-old has featured primarily off the left this term, he enjoyed a stellar spell in 2021/22 on the right wing, posting six goals and four assists in 31 Primera Division outings – the same number of games as he has managed this term.

Villarreal sporting director Miguel Angel Tena Garcia has previously stated that if the right offer comes in for Pino this season, he will be allowed to leave the club.

Earlier this year, Arsenal had been linked with the winger as a potential replacement for Mykhailo Mudryk, who they missed out on as he joined Chelsea instead.

Similarly, Barcelona and Real Madrid have been linked with the youngster, who has been tight-lipped over his future.

Speaking on Tuesday, he said: “I have a contract until 2027. Rumours are rumours. The club can get something out of us, and we can benefit the club.”

FootballTransfers’ algorithm gives Pino an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €37.5 million, though given the interest, he could well move for a higher fee.