Why Fabio Borini could be a smart acquisition for Aston Villa in January

Back in July, a report from the Football Italia had claimed that Aston Villa were interested in signing AC Milan forward Fabio Borini, but a move didn’t materialise.

Fabio Borini, 28, made a shock move to AC Milan in the summer of 2017 from Sunderland. He was in and out of the team under Vincenzo Montella and Gennaro Gattuso. And under new manager Marco Giampaolo, the Italian has made two appearances so far this season.

With the 28-year-old seemingly not in the plans of Marco Giampaolo, Aston Villa should try their luck in January to sign Borini.

Aston Villa spent a lot of money over the summer to truly reinforce their squad after achieving promotion to the top-flight.

However, Dean Smith’s side find themselves into the relegation zone with just four points from their first six matches after recently being beaten 3-2 in a breathless encounter against 10-man Arsenal despite twice holding the lead at the Emirates.

It’s a big worry for Smith and if there are a couple of things he needs to do to keep Villa safe this season, he needs to add some more firepower to his attack. Apart from summer acquisition Wesley Moraes, the Villans have Jonathan Kodjia and 21-year-old Keinan Davis as the only options upfront.

That clearly suggests how light the squad in terms of striking options and Smith would do a smart job by signing a new striker in January.

Borini would be a decent option for Villa. He wasn’t exactly in the best of form last season for Milan, netting three goals and registering one assist in 29 appearances in all competitions.

Regardless of him not being a prolific goalscorer by any means, the Italian has plenty of Premier League experience with Chelsea, Liverpool and Sunderland, as well as featuring for Swansea City in the Championship.

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A versatile player, the 28-year-old can play anywhere across the front-line. He impressed last season with his work-rate, energy and versatility to slot into any position under Gattuso, and his overall game has also matured a lot in the last couple of years.

Borini can win the ball back for his team and can also create chances in the final third.

Verdict

The former Liverpool would be a really smart investment for Aston Villa in the upcoming January transfer window. If Wesley continues to struggle in front of goal, he could offer an ideal alternative.

Plus, Borini would add some much-needed experience to the Villa side battling for survival this season.