The transfer market is gaining speed, and Aston Villa are scrambling to secure Celta Vigo midfielder Ilaix Moriba. Those responsible for hiring the English team identified the Guinean international as the ideal player to reinforce the midfield engine of Unai Emery's team.
According to information from Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Villa's valuation for the combative 23-year-old is between £10M and £15M. This preliminary estimate is well short of the £25M demanded by Celta Vigo. However, negotiators in Birmingham hope to reach an understanding. They are looking for a sensible compromise before pre-season training begins.
Celta are under enormous pressure to balance their books and need to sell at least one key player in this transfer window, which gives Villa a significant advantage. The possibility of Champions League football is a big attraction for Moriba, who could be convinced to return to the big stage of European football.
Moriba completely reestablished his reputation during an impressive campaign in the 2025/26 season in Spain. He was instrumental in Celta's midfield across 36 La Liga games, contributing to the team's qualification for European competitions. FotMob data shows a significant increase in his defensive performance, having managed two goals and three assists, in addition to 87 tackles completed in all competitions. His pass completion rate was impressive, at 88%, highlighting his ability to retain possession in pressure situations.
Emery looks for physical and athletic profiles to meet the demands of his high-pressure style. Spending up to £15M would be a very well-calculated investment for a player who cost €16M to move to the Bundesliga as a teenager. Paying £25m would be a misallocation of vital capital that Villa should preserve for top attacking targets. Moriba offers a unique combination of ball retention and raw athleticism, fulfilling all the structural requirements to act as a secondary distributor alongside Boubacar Kamara. If Roberto Olabe can break the current impasse in negotiations, Villa will secure incredible tactical depth for a demanding campaign on multiple fronts.