Aston Villa have submitted a €17m offer for Almería’s Dion Lopy, a player Emery specifically compares to his former midfielder Felipe Melo.
- Villa’s initial offer of €17m falls €3m short of Almería’s €20m valuation, but a deal is edging closer
- Emery spent two years at Almería between 2006 and 2008 and sees Lopy as his new Felipe Melo
- The 24-year-old Senegal international is represented by CAA Stellar, who also represent Ezri Konsa
The offer: €17m on the table, €3m short
Villa’s pursuit of Dion Lopy has moved from monitoring to concrete action. According to La Voz de Almería, Emery’s side have submitted an initial offer of €17m for the 24-year-old Senegalese defensive midfielder. Almería’s valuation stands at €20m. The gap is €3m. Given the context (a Champions League club offering a Segunda División player immediate top-flight football) that gap is likely bridgeable.
The specific framing from the Spanish source is revealing. Raising the offer by €3m could make it “difficult for Almería and Lopy to turn down.” That assessment reflects the reality of the situation for both parties. Villa want the player. Lopy wants Champions League football. Almería need the money to fund their promotion push. The pieces are in place.
Emery’s personal connection. The new Felipe Melo
The most compelling and revealing element of this story is Emery’s personal framing of Lopy. The Villa manager spent two years at UD Almería between 2006 and 2008, one of the formative periods of his managerial career. In his final season at the club, he had Felipe Melo at his disposal. The Brazilian defensive midfielder’s quality and impact clearly left a lasting impression.
Emery sees Lopy as the new Felipe Melo. That specific comparison from a manager who rarely deploys superlatives casually, tells you everything about how highly he rates the Senegalese international. Not merely a useful squad addition. Not simply a capable defensive midfielder. A player who reminds him of one of his best ever acquisitions at the club where his European reputation was first established.
Villa’s long-standing interest. Three years in the making
Villa’s pursuit of Lopy is not a summer whim. The club first attempted to sign the midfielder in 2023 only for him to choose Almería over Villa Park at the time. Everton then failed to complete a deal last summer. Villa have been patient. Their interest has never disappeared. Now, with Champions League football confirmed and a specific managerial endorsement driving the pursuit, the conditions for completing the deal are better than they have ever been.
The player. Profile and numbers
Lopy played 1,991 minutes across 28 appearances for Almería this season, demonstrating the availability and consistency that Emery demands from midfield players. The Senegal international is 24, entering the prime years of his career with significant developmental potential remaining. His contract runs until 2029, meaning Almería hold genuine leverage to demand their asking price rather than accepting a discount.
The agency dimension adds a specific and useful dimension. CAA Stellar, one of the most powerful agencies in British football that represent both Lopy and Villa’s own Ezri Konsa. That existing relationship could facilitate and accelerate negotiations considerably.
His Transfermarkt value of €4m dramatically understates his market value: a reality Almería are entirely aware of given their €20m asking price. The gap between the valuation platform and the actual negotiating position reflects a player whose recent performances have significantly outpaced the algorithmic assessment of his worth.
ReadAstonVilla Verdict
Raise the offer by €3m and get this done. Lopy is exactly the type of intelligent, PSR-friendly, development-age defensive midfielder that Champions League squads are built on. Emery’s personal endorsement, comparing him to Felipe Melo is the most powerful possible internal recommendation. The agent relationship with Konsa smooths the path. The Champions League offer closes the deal. Don’t let this one drag into August.
