Aston Villa have made an impressive start to the 2023/24 campaign, however sources have suggested that Unai Emery may not be done altering his squad quite yet.
The Spaniard has transformed the outlook at Villa Park following his arrival in October 2022, and after orchestrating a stellar summer of business, his squad was bolstered ready to embark on the challenges ahead.
As time ticks on and the January transfer window edges closer, rumours are beginning to recirculate, with the Villans named as having interest in one dazzling talent that could see history repeated in the Midlands.
20-year-old Norwich City midfielder Jonathan Rowe has caught the eye of a host of clubs in the top flight after his strong start to the season.
As reported by TEAMtalk this week, Villa are joined by Brentford, Crystal Palace, Burnley and Sheffield United in having interest in the Englishman, who is a product of the Canaries’ academy.
The report claims that Norwich are hoping to fend off any interest from Premier League clubs by offering the graduate a refreshed contract, as he currently earns a mere £4.6k-per-week, a small sum in the midst of a highly lucrative workplace.
TEAMtalk’s understanding reinforces the hype currently surrounding Rowe, which is warranted as he’s started the 2023/24 campaign with seven goals and two assists in 13 appearances.
His goal tally of six in the Championship places him as the joint-second highest goalscorer in the league, which is an impressive feat on the back of a 2022/23 season in which he secured only three appearances due to injury woes.
Taking Villa’s reported interest into consideration, the links are an exciting prospect for the Villans, who know first-hand just how beneficial capturing a star from the second tier can be.
First-team heroes such as Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Buendia made the moves from the Championship to the Premier League to join Villa, with the Argentine paving the way for Rowe to potentially follow the exact journey the 26-year-old took.
Buendia departed Norwich on the back of a phenomenal season during the club’s push for promotion, in which he scored 15 goals and registered 17 assists in the Championship.
Villa could go down the route of raiding the talent at Carrow Road once more, with Rowe poised to have a blockbuster campaign if his form is to continue.
The comparisons between Emery’s playmaker and the 20-year-old go far beyond them both donning the yellow and green of Norwich, with the academy graduate inhabiting the same position and role as Buendia.
Lauded as a “real threat” by journalist Sam Ingram, the attacking midfielder averages 1.2 key passes per game in the Championship so far this season, as well as averaging 2.3 shots per game to highlight his presence in the final third, via Sofascore.
Similar averages were recorded by Buendia last campaign in the Premier League, where he registered an average of 1.1 key passes and 1.3 shots per game for the Villans, scoring five goals in 38 appearances.
A prominent factor of what Rowe could offer to Emery’s side is a further threat to goal than the Argentine, considering the fact that he has already netted more league goals in 11 appearances this term than the 26-year-old did in the entirety of 2022/23 in the Premier League.
Emery could strike while the iron is hot and make a move for Rowe in 2024, with the potential there for the Spaniard to replicate Villa’s history by welcoming one of Norwich’s star performers to the fold.
