Aston Villa Keep Close Watch On This 23-Year-Old Argentine: The Right Man For Unai Emery? | OneFootball

Aston Villa are reportedly keeping a close watch on AS Roma winger Matias Soule, with the 23-year-old Argentinian now emerging as a genuine summer target. Italian publications, including LaRoma24, Il Messaggero and Leggo, relayed by RivistaLaRoma, have all pointed to growing uncertainty surrounding Soule’s future at the Stadio Olimpico.

Aston Villa are monitoring Matias Soule as Roma’s financial pressures mount

Roma face a pressing obligation to record significant capital gains before the end of June to satisfy financial fair play requirements, and Soule ranks among the players they could move on. The report from Il Messaggero notes that any deal above €15 million would count as a capital gain for Roma.

Bournemouth are also monitoring the attacker, though Villa’s interest appears to have more weight behind it. For now, no formal contact has been made between the clubs, and Roma’s sporting director Ricky Massara hasn’t yet committed to giving a sale the green light.

Soule’s situation has been complicated further by form. He has started against Inter, Atalanta and Bologna since returning from a groin injury, yet head coach Gian Piero Gasperini hasn’t been fully convinced by what he has seen. Italian reports suggest Gasperini expects an immediate upturn in output over the coming weeks; otherwise, a departure is firmly on the table. RB Leipzig’s Antonio Nusa has already been identified as a potential replacement.

Is Soule actually the right man for what Unai Emery is building at Villa?

ROME, ITALY – APRIL 10: Matias Soule of AS Roma in action during the warm up before Serie A match between AS Roma and Pisa SC at Stadio Olimpico on April 10, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

The truth is that he likely is, though there are a few sticking points. Soule spent the 2023–24 season at Frosinone in a high-tempo, transition-heavy system, contributing 10 Serie A goals. That specific experience makes him an ideal profile for Emery’s vertically aggressive style at Villa. He operates primarily from the right flank, cuts inside onto his stronger left foot, and can play as a number ten, which is exactly the kind of positional versatility Emery looks for when rotating his front line.

There are still real questions to answer, however. Soule arrived at Roma last summer for a reported €25 million fee, and moving from a relegation-threatened Frosinone to a club with Champions League aspirations has exposed some gaps in his game. His consistency against deep defensive blocks, his decision-making when the pace slows down, and his impact in big matches have all been under the microscope this season.

Aston Villa wouldn’t be buying a finished product; they would be betting on potential rather than proven pedigree. But at a fee close to that €15 million mark, the move makes a lot of sense, and Emery has a track record of improving attackers who thrive under clearer tactical instruction.