Why Aston Villa signing Pedro could be the steal of the season

According to a report by The Telegraph (h/t The Sun), Aston Villa are preparing a shock move for Chelsea outcast Pedro.

Villa boss Dean Smith is hopeful of signing Pedro for a cut-price deal ahead of the January transfer window with the Blues winger going out of contract in the summer.

The arrival of Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund earlier this year has closed the doors for the veteran Spaniard, who has fallen down the pecking order under new boss Frank Lampard.

Meanwhile, Pedro’s teammate since 2015, Willian, has rediscovered his form and has found success under the new manager, with the Brazilian being consistently offered a starting place in the squad.

Blues youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi, on the other hand, has returned from his injury and is vying for a starting place, thereby pushing Pedro into an abyss.

Moreover, with Chelsea’s transfer ban being reduced to just one window, Lampard now has the opportunity to recruit some new players to add more strength to his squad.

However, the Spaniard could be immensely beneficial to a side such as Aston Villa, who are currently fighting to avoid relegation.

Unlike fourth-placed Chelsea, things have not been entirely smooth for 16th-placed Aston Villa. With just 4 wins from 16 league games, Smith’s Villans are now desperate to climb the tables.

After attaining promotion to the top-flight last season, Smith had spent significantly in the summer to bolster his attacking options and cement a place for themselves in the league.

However, most of his signings this year have failed to impress so far, leaving Smith with no other option but to once again invest in the winter market.

Summer signing Wesley has scored just 4 goals despite starting all 16 league games. Wingers Anwar El Ghazi and Trezeguet have scored 3 each, while Jota has not yet opened his account.

Inconsistencies up front have often troubled the English man forcing him to make a move for someone more experienced in the likes of Chelsea old guard Pedro. Having won five La Liga and 3 Champions League trophies with his erstwhile side Barcelona, Pedro is nothing short of experience.

Pedro has also won the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 with Spain. Moreover, since making his move to Stamford Bridge, the 32-year-old has added the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League titles to his list of endless trophies.

Having played over 500 matches, Pedro has scored 141 goals and assisted 88 times for both Barcelona and Chelsea combined. The number of goals he has scored is a mere indication of his talent and the excellent finishing skills he possesses despite being a winger most of his career.

Read more:

• Why Aston Villa must go all out to sign Pione Sisto from Celta Vigo
• Why Aston Villa should complete a £10m deal for Jed Wallace in January
• Why Aston Villa should quickly snap up free agent Romain Alessandrini

Verdict

Consistently being on the sidelines could have dampened the winger’s confidence and a move to Villa Park would do a world of good for Pedro. With inexperience and inconsistency troubling Aston Villa up front, Pedro’s inclusion would solve a lot of issues for manager Smith.

Smith, meanwhile, should make use of this chance and secure the seasoned campaigner’s signature for a cheap sum sooner than later.