Aston Villa are now in a good position to sign the £35m playmaker, a huge fan of Emery

Aston Villa are now leading the race to sign AS Roma starlet Matias Soule, ahead of Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.

Unai Emery is a big fan of the Argentine, which is not surprising given that he has been one of Roma’s most important players in Serie A this season, constantly scoring and creating chances for his teammates.

Matias Soule’s Serie A season

• 2,082 minutes played

• 6 goals

• 5 helps

• 42 chances created

• 21 successful crosses

• 33 successful dribbles

• 99 duels won

The 23-year-old can play in the center of the attacking field and on the right wing, which could make him a replacement for Morgan Rogers, who continues to attract attention at Manchester United.

Rogers has found the net just once in his last 11 Premier League games, but remains tied for Villa’s Premier League goals this season, and losing the England international would be a huge blow.

Aston Villa lead the race for Matias Soule

With Rogers’ future in doubt, Aston Villa are now leading the race to sign Soule, valued at around €40m (£35m) by AS Roma, but there could be competition from the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, AFC Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion.

The South American has received high praise from scout Ben Mattinson, who said: “Soulé is a very exciting player to watch. He plays with a level of poise and a level of confidence that is impressive. The Argentinian has an undeniable quality about him – he is always looking to do something and if he has the ball in certain areas, he will.”

However, amid interest from rivals from other top Premier League clubs, next season’s Champions League qualification could be crucial if Villa are to win the race to sign the Roma star, and they are yet to cross the line.

Aston Villa set themselves up for a thrilling end to the season

Fifth-placed Villa are four points behind nearest rivals AFC Bournemouth with two games to play in the Premier League, and with the Cherries facing Manchester City in their next game, Emery’s side should be up to the task.

Recent form has not been encouraging, with a 1-0 defeat at Fulham, followed by a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur and a 2-2 draw with already relegated Burnley.

However, the Europa League appeared to be uppermost in the Villans’ minds, as they reached the final, which will be played in Istanbul against SC Freiburg on May 20.

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