Monchi hopes to strike gold as Aston Villa set limits on surprise £169m deal for duo

Aston Villa are hopeful a brilliant double LaLiga swoop is on the cards this summer, although president of football operations Monchi has warned Atletico Madrid there is a limit to what they can afford to pay for either of those Joao Felix.

Unai Emery’s side finished fourth last season to secure their Champions League place, and will be doing their best to compete for the trophy they won in 1982. There is plenty of excitement building at Aston Villa and plenty of business has already been done.

There have already been plenty of deals done both in and out, with the likes of Ross Barkley and Samuel Illing-Junior joining and big names like Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby heading for the exits.

But Villa have two former Premier League stars in their sights: Felix, who has spent the last two seasons on loan at Chelsea and Barcelona, ​​and former Leeds player Raphinha, who joined the Catalan giants in 2022.

READ MORE: Aston Villa surge in race for electrifying Bundesliga star as Monchi eyes Juventus deal scupper

However, Monchi has told Atleti that they will only pay around £50-60m for the Portugal international, a significant reduction from the £111m he transferred from Benfica to the Spanish capital in 2019. That is according to 90 minutes.

They could also face competition for Raphinha, who cost £58m but could be available on a cut-price deal as Barcelona look to manage their ongoing financial issues, with Newcastle United reportedly interested in the Brazilian, for Football Insider.

Former PL duo to return to England?

The pair have had contrasting fortunes in England, with Felix struggling to make an impact at Chelsea two seasons ago. He scored just four goals with no assists in 16 league games, and has not offered much more at Barcelona, ​​with seven goals and three assists in 30 appearances last season.

But Raphinha remains a hero at Leeds, having contributed to 29 goals in two seasons at Elland Road and becoming a talismanic figure under Marcelo Bielsa in particular. Villa will hope he can become just as important to them if he moves to Birmingham.

Both players would offer significant Champions League experience to a team that currently lacks it, but given that both have endured difficult times in Spain, Villa are keen to agree affordable deals for both players.

Emery takes his side to West Ham for a tricky Premier League opener on August 17, with Julen Lopetegui now in charge at the London Stadium. Villa will want to get off to a fast start to build on last season’s momentum.

DON’T MISS OUT: Man Utd scupper Arsenal plan as Ratcliffe ‘submits massive offer’ for ‘one of the best midfielders in the world’