Life as an Aston Villa fan right now must seem like a dream, with their side continuing to thrive in Europe and the Premier League.
The acquisition of Unai Emery could just be the best piece of business in the club’s recent history, as the Spaniard has raised the standard tremendously and played a huge role in their success.
However, Villa have also been very precise with their signings, tailoring their scouting to suit the former Arsenal manager’s style of play and system.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a summer signing who could just prove to be one of the bargains of the season.
What Villa paid for Youri Tielemans
Youri Tielemans had cemented himself as a well-respected Premier League midfielder during his time at Leicester City, where he made 195 appearances with a goal contribution record of 54.
This was even the case during the Foxes relegation campaign last season, but he was unable to keep his side out of the drop zone despite his best efforts over 31 matches.
In the summer, Tielemans’ contract expired, with life in the Championship not on the Belgian’s bucket list, and Villa snapped him up for an absolute steal.
The former Anderlecht prospect became a Villan on a free transfer, signing a four-year contract where he earns £150k-per-week, making him the joint-highest paid player at the club, according to Capology.
Youri Tielemans' current market value
Since moving to Villa Park, Tielemans initially had to be patient for an opportunity to shine in the Spaniard’s side, but fast forward to today, and he’s a key player.
The number eight has played in 31 Premier League games this season, starting half of those, and he’s been a brilliant addition to the midfield, providing creativity via his six assists.
Between now and the end of the season, Tielemans has the potential to be a part of a side that not only qualifies for the Champions League but also lifts a European trophy with Villa for the first time since 1982.
With his importance to the team growing, his value has followed a similar trend, to the point where he’s slowly becoming one of the most valuable players in the Villa squad.
Douglas Luiz
£69m
Moussa Diaby
£69m
Ollie Watkins
£51m
Pau Torres
£43m
Leon Bailey
£43m
Youri Tielemans
£34m
As you can see, Tielemans is now estimated to be worth £34m, which is rather incredible considering he joined for nothing less than a year ago.
For context, this makes the Red Devil worth two times less than Douglas Luiz, the same amount as Ezri Konsa, but more amazingly, two times more than Villa hero Emi Martinez, whom some fans would describe as priceless despite being valued at £17m.
One of the main reasons why his value is estimated to be that figure is due to his extreme versatility, which enables Emery to have rotation all over the field as well as be tactically flexible during matches.
The midfielder has particularly proved his worth in recent weeks, with Luiz’s suspension and Boubacar Kamara’s injury meaning he’s played as a defensive midfielder, a left midfielder, and a second striker this year.
Furthermore, if he continues to perform at the level he has this season, then it’s fair to say that his value is going to continue to rise, making this piece of business look like even more of a masterclass.
Overall, it’s clear that Villa struck gold on the “incredible” Tielemans, as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig, and without him over the last few months, Emery’s side's Champions League future may not have looked as promising as it currently does.
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