Why Aston Villa are now in a strong position to sign Anis Hadj Moussa from Feyenoord
Aston Villa are now ready to sign Anis Hadj Moussa, with the Feyenoord defender expected to leave the Eredivisie this summer.
The move may have to wait until the 24-year-old’s return from the World Cup, the North American running back representing Algeria, who came in third in Group J, a round of 32 match with Switzerland.
Algeria are blessed with options on the right, and Riyad Mahrez’s goal in the 3-3 draw with Austria meant Moussa could not come off the bench.
However, he has been a key player at club level for a long time, and was praised for his performances in a Feyenoord shirt by scout Jacek Kulig in November 2024.
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Football FanCast verdict |
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Honesty |
Aston Villa’s decision to loan out Evans Guessand from Crystal Palace suggests they may need to sign an upgrade for the Ivorian this summer. The Eagles were not interested in loaning the right tackle, meaning his future is still up in the air. |
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Finance |
Moussa will be available for just €35m (£30m), which shouldn’t break Villa’s bank, given they have secured a return to the Champions League next season. However, they will hope that widespread interest from elsewhere does not push the price up. |
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Understanding |
The Algerian was Feyenoord’s second top scorer in the Eredivisie last season, with 11 goals, and averaged 2.7 goals in 90, 1.1 more than any other member of the squad, showing his willingness to drive the opposition. |
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Impact |
Speculation is he could be pushed through the door if the Feyenoord star arrives at Villa Park, but it would be difficult to get John McGinn out of the starting XI. The 31-year-old scored 10 goals and provided eight assists in 44 appearances for Villa last season. |
Aston Villa are well placed to sign Anis Hadj Moussa
According to a report from Sky Sports, Aston Villa are ready to sign the African midfielder, as they prioritize a move to the Premier League, despite interest from Al-Qadsiah and Al-Ahli.
In fact, the Villans are already deep in talks to bring the French-born Villa Park, and of all the interested parties, their talks are at the forefront, alongside Newcastle United.
Moussa’s arrival could see John McGinn move into midfield
Although Moussa can play on the left, he has featured as a right-back in all 40 of his appearances for Feyenoord last season, suggesting he could present Unai Emery with a selection problem.
Indeed, McGinn has made the right-wing position his own, but the Villa captain is capable of playing centrally or on either side, appearing on the left in Scotland’s two World Cup group games.
It’s a good problem for Emery to have, the Spaniard needs to deepen before returning to the Champions League next season, especially considering that many of his players will go into the campaign after the World Cup, with no real rest.
Moussa has Champions League experience, netting three goals and one assist in 11 games in the 2024-25 campaign, and has tallied 37 goals in 83 outings for Feyenoord, so a move to the Premier League is the logical next step.
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