Aston Villa are enjoying a superb campaign.
Unai Emery has guided his side to third place in the Premier League, sitting just four points off leaders Arsenal, while also progressing in the FA Cup and occupying second spot in the Europa League group.
Not only that, but the Villans are playing some of the most entertaining football in England right now.
As if things weren’t already going well, Villa are also looking to capitalise in the transfer market, with the club now eyeing a player who could go on to become Tammy Abraham’s new Jack Grealish.
Villa eye Abraham’s next Grealish
It has been a hectic transfer window for Aston Villa, with Donyell Malen departing and a number of new faces arriving at Villa Park.
Without doubt, the standout signing so far has been Abraham, who recently completed his switch from Besiktas.
The striker famously starred for the club during the 2018/19 season, where he formed a devastating partnership with Grealish and played a key role in Villa’s promotion back to the Premier League.
Because of that history, supporters should be encouraged by reports that Villa are now targeting another attacking player who could complement Abraham in a similar way.
According to a report from Italian journalist Fabrizio Biasin, Villa have set their sights on Inter Milan winger Luis Henrique.
Biasin claims that the Midlands club have already made contact with Inter to discuss a potential deal.
However, Villa are not alone in the race. Everton and Bournemouth are also believed to be in negotiations with the Serie A side, and the report adds that Bournemouth’s €30m bid – roughly £26m – is currently the most advanced.
That makes any deal far from straightforward and potentially expensive, but it is one Villa should seriously pursue, especially given Henrique’s potential to become Abraham’s new Grealish.
Why Henrique could be Abraham’s new Grealish
Calling Abraham’s 2018/19 season at Villa “good” would be an understatement.
On loan from Chelsea, the striker was outstanding, racking up 26 goals and three assists in 40 appearances, playing a total of 3,450 minutes.
That equates to a goal contribution every 1.37 matches, or roughly every 119 minutes.
While Abraham was primarily a ruthless finisher rather than a creator, much of his success was fuelled by Grealish’s influence. The former Villa captain finished that same campaign with six goals and eight assists in just 35 games.
Their chemistry went beyond individual statistics too, as the pair directly combined for five goals during that season alone.
With that in mind, if Emery wants to maximise Abraham’s impact again, it makes sense to surround him with a creative wide player capable of consistently supplying chances – a role Henrique could fill.
Admittedly, this season has been difficult for the Brazilian, who has registered just one assist since joining Inter in the summer.
However, his final year at Marseille shows what he is capable of when in form.
In 35 appearances last season, totalling 2,802 minutes, the 24-year-old scored nine goals and provided ten assists.
That output highlights his creative edge, with an average goal involvement every 1.84 games, or every 147 minutes.
Another key strength, which earned him the label “complete” from Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi, is his versatility. Henrique can operate on either wing, in midfield, or even as a full-back.
That flexibility would allow Emery to use him both as a creative spark or as a dependable utility option.
All things considered, while the deal may be tricky, Aston Villa should push hard to sign Henrique before the window closes – not just because of his quality, but because he has the tools to become Tammy Abraham’s new Grealish.
