Aston Villa Preparing To Sign This 22-Year-Old Defender: Should They Push For Him?

Aston Villa Preparing To Sign This 22-Year-Old Defender: Should They Push For Him?

Aston Villa have already started the groundwork to sign Lens centre-back Samson Baidoo. The 22-year-old Austrian has earned comparisons to Raphaël Varane after a spectacular debut season in Ligue 1, where he’s played 19 games and scored twice since his €8 million move from Salzburg last summer. Villa view Baidoo as a long-term solution for a defensive line that Unai Emery knows he has to refresh before next season kicks off.

Why do Aston Villa really need him this summer?

Even with Villa sitting fourth in the Premier League, there is a looming issue: their four main centre-backs are all between 28 and 33 years old. With full-backs Matty Cash and Lucas Digne also 28 and 32, bringing down the average age of the defence is a must. This isn’t just about the numbers; it’s a structural necessity. A team aiming for the Champions League every year can’t afford for the entire backline to age out at the same time, and Baidoo is the type of player who could lead Villa’s defence for the next ten years.

Baidoo is composed on the ball and comfortable playing on either side, offering the kind of versatility Emery loves. He has the physical attributes Villa need without losing any calmness under pressure. His performances have seen the French media compare him to former Lens star Raphaël Varane and ex-Napoli powerhouse Kalidou Koulibaly. For a Villa team that insist on playing out from the back, those traits are essential.