Emery struck gold on Aston Villa gem who’s now worth more than McGinn

Aston Villa have a player who is currently worth more than John McGinn

Aston Villa had experienced a minor setback in the first few weeks of 2024—they had only won once in January—but they had recovered magnificently in the preceding few weeks.

 

With victories over Fulham and Nottingham Forest, the Midlands team has managed to hang onto fourth place in the Premier League standings, five points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur (who have a game remaining).

Next month, will play Ajax in the Europa Conference League semifinals, but Unai

Emery is optimistic that the pleasant distraction of playing on the continent

would help his squad, not hurt, in the league.

 

The Spaniard has assembled an excellent core for his team, which includes Ollie Watkins’ goals, strong defenders,

Emiliano Martínez’s steady hands, and a flexible midfield four.

Without a doubt, the team is poised for greatness under the direction of the

former Paris Saint-Germain coach, especially if they can add more players in the summer.

Despite competition from far larger teams, Emery was able to entice players like Moussa Diaby and Pau Torres to Villa last summer.

 

Although Torres’ £51.9 million transfer fee may have deceived him, the manager made a wise choice in bringing the Frenchman to the Premier League, as he has performed admirably in his first season.

What Aston Villa paid to sign Pau Torres

One area that clearly needed to be bolstered during the summer transfer

window last year was in defence, as Emery could call on only Tyrone Mings,

Diego Carlos, and Ezri Konsa as reliable centre-back options.

Because Torres had worked with the 52-year-old coach at Villarreal, Torres made the decision to relocate to the Midlands rather than anywhere else, presumably because he knew exactly what to expect from him.

After spending £31.5 million on the defender, Villa appeared to have made a

good deal, especially because the player had represented Spain in two major

international tournaments and had made nearly 150 games in La Liga.

After just six months, Torres has become an important part of Emery’s team as he pursues success at Villa Park, and his market value has increased significantly.

He is, in fact, more valuable than the team’s captain, John McGinn, making him one of the most valued players in the group.

John McGinn’s market value at Aston Villa

The Scot signed for the club when they were struggling to get out of the Championship, before becoming one of the most reliable players in the squad during their ascent back to the elite.

He was named captain by former manager Steven Gerrard in 2022, and McGinn hasn’t looked back. This season, he has been excellent under Emery.

The 29-year-old has not only played in every game so far in 2023–24, but he has

also contributed 13 goals (eight goals and five assists) to the cause, providing the

team with an attacking danger in the middle.

Over his five years at Villa, McGinn’s market value has gradually increased due to his performances; but, this season, as he looks to win his first major title in England, his game has reached new heights.

McGinn, who only cost the team £2 million in 2018 under Steve Bruce, is

currently valued at €40 million (£34 million) according to the CIES Football Observatory.

Aston Villa’s top ten highest-valued players	Valuation
Moussa Diaby	£68m
Douglas Luiz	£68m
Ollie Watkins	£51m
Pau Torres	£51m
Jacob Ramsey	£43m
John McGinn	£34m
Leon Bailey	£34m
Boubacar Kamara	£26m
Ezri Konsa	£26m
Youri Tielemans	£26m
Via CIES Football Observatory

Despite this high market valuation, the midfielder currently sits sixth among his teammates, and Torres is one of the players who are ahead of him.

Pau Torres’ market valuation at Aston Villa

The top three Villa players are Diaby, Douglas Luiz, and Watkins, which is expected, but Torres is next on the list at number four.

The defender is presently valued at €60 million (£51 million) by CIES Football Observatory, which is about £20 million more than Emery paid to sign him just six months ago.

This could yet increase between now and May because of how good he has been, but the manager will be happy that one of his recruits has the potential to bring in a sizable profit soon.

Why Pau Torres is worth so much

With experience in the Spanish top flight, the Champions League and the World Cup, Torres was always likely to succeed in England, but playing for a manager who has placed his faith in you previously has certainly helped.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded the defender as early as 2019, saying: “One of the best center-backs in La Liga this season. Wonderful on the ball. Pure ball-playing defender.”

He even said that the 22-year-old had 9/10 potential, which he had undoubtedly fully realized during the course of the following five years.

The 27-year-old has participated in 25 games this season and has established himself as a mainstay at the center of the defense. His lone injury has kept him from playing in more.

Torres has proven to be a skilled ball player, and he is constantly eager to break out of the defense to launch an attack.

Torres is among the best on the continent for his ability to think ahead when compared to positional peers in the top five leagues over the previous 365 days. He ranks in the top 8% for progressive passes per 90 (5.43), the top 2% for progressive carries per 90 (1.89), and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.78).

Given this, is it any surprise that the center back is so highly regarded? Mings’ return to the starting lineup could not

have come at a better moment, with injuries keeping him out until the

beginning of the following season and Konsa and Carlos struggling with fitness.

There will be a long line of possible suitors waiting to sign him this summer,

so Emery may have a difficult time keeping him in the Midlands if he continues to perform at this level.

Retaining his top players is crucial if the former Arsenal manager is serious about

snapping a 28-year trophy drought, and Torres has been outstanding since the season began.