Aston Villa Eye La Liga’s Most Lethal Winger: Can They Actually Afford The €40m Tag? | OneFootball

Aston Villa have moved to the front of the queue for Real Betis winger Ez Abde this summer. This comes after Barcelona made it clear they aren’t looking to bring the 24-year-old Moroccan back at his current price tag. Spanish outlet Sport reports it is highly unlikely that Abde and Barcelona will reunite, with the La Liga champions privately moving on from the deal. Barcelona’s board doesn’t see Abde as a priority right now, choosing to focus their efforts elsewhere, including a potential permanent move for Marcus Rashford.

Aston Villa in pole position to sign La Liga’s electric Moroccan winger

Even though Barcelona kept 20% of Abde’s sell-on rights when he left the Camp Nou, they only valued a potential return at roughly €30m. At that price, the deal would have cost them about €24m net. Real Betis, however, want closer to €40m and are happy to sell to the highest bidder. Barcelona have even looked into selling their 20% stake back to Betis just to get some quick cash, a move they’ve made before.

Abde’s standout season with Betis has caught the eye of several clubs, specifically Newcastle United and Aston Villa. Diario de Sevilla confirmed the Premier League interest, and the statistics show why. Abde notched nine goals and eight assists in 27 La Liga games this term, maintaining a non-penalty xG of 0.47 per 90 minutes. That puts him in the top 4% of all La Liga players. His 17 direct goal involvements and an xA of 0.30 per 90 minutes also rank him among the most creative players in the league.

Should Aston Villa genuinely stretch to €40m for a player with a clear defensive weakness?

SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN – MAY 09: Abde Ezzalzouli of Real Betis and Aritz Elustondo of Real Sociedad battle for possession during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Sociedad and Real Betis Balompie at Reale Arena on May 09, 2026 in San Sebastian, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Aston Villa have a tough decision to make, as spending €40m on Abde is a bit of a gamble. While the potential payoff is huge, the price is steep. His attacking numbers at Betis have been incredible. The way he takes players on and his constant threat in front of goal make him one of the most dangerous wingers in Spain. Those in Abde’s circle say he wants to be a guaranteed starter and a key part of a project, which makes him a good option for how Unai Emery uses his wingers.

On the flip side, a pass completion rate of 79.71% shows he can still be sloppy in possession, and his lack of defensive work rate is a real concern. In a rigid, high-pressing system like Emery’s, those flaws would be spotted instantly.

While Newcastle’s interest might make Villa want to make a move fast, they’d be wise to hold their ground and negotiate. Betis might try to wait until after the World Cup to sell, hoping a good run with Morocco inflates Abde’s price further. With Villa’s finances being relatively tight, they have to decide if this move is sustainable or just a massive risk. It isn’t an easy call.