Unai Emery has officially announced that Enzo Barrenechea will be joining Aston Villa’s squad for their upcoming match against Arsenal on Saturday. The 23-year-old midfielder, who did not travel with the Villa squad for their first game against West Ham, is set to make his debut under Emery’s leadership. Alongside Barrenechea, Samuel Iling-Junior, another recent acquisition from Juventus, was also absent from the squad and is rumored to be heading to Bologna on loan due to the stiff competition in his position within the Villa squad.
Emery expressed his satisfaction with Barrenechea’s progress since his arrival at Villa from Turin just two months ago. The young midfielder has been adapting well to his new surroundings at Bodymoor Heath, impressing the coaching staff with his potential and work ethic. Emery shared his thoughts on Barrenechea’s inclusion in the squad, stating, “Tomorrow he is in the squad. He is working very well, he is young and has a big potential. His process here with us is to try to progressively utilize his potential and improve. Of course, I am happy with him. He is a very good player and a very good person. His adaptation in the squad is fantastic at the moment.”
Barrenechea’s transfer to Villa came as part of a combined deal with Iling-Junior, which also involved Douglas Luiz moving to Juventus for a total sum of £42m. The midfielder spent the previous season on loan at Frosinone in Serie A, where he made 36 appearances under Eusebio Di Francesco. Barrenechea’s journey to Juventus began when he joined the club in January 2020 from Sion, following his initial transfer from Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina. Despite making his Champions League debut in 2022, he only managed to feature three times in Serie A for Juventus before embarking on a new chapter in his career with Aston Villa.
Reflecting on his move to Villa, Barrenechea expressed his excitement and determination to succeed in the Premier League. He stated, “I feel so happy to be a part of Aston Villa, a very big club, with a good structure and top-level facilities, so I’m really happy. The season that Villa had last year, the way they are doing things, that, for a player, is a big tick. Also, I’m coming to the Premier League, one of the best leagues in the world, so I’m very pleased. It’s a new beginning for me.”
As he looks ahead to the challenges of the Premier League, Barrenechea emphasized his personal growth and commitment to contributing to the team’s success. He remarked, “Last year, I grew a lot. I played the whole season to a high level, so now I’ve come to the Premier League. I’ve come here to start from zero. It’s all new to me, and I hope to give it my all. Collectively, I think we have many goals to achieve. And then, individually, try to contribute from the position I play, try to do things well, and achieve the group objective, which is fundamental.”
Subheadings:
1. Unai Emery’s Confirmation of Barrenechea’s Inclusion in Villa’s Squad
2. Barrenechea’s Journey from Juventus to Aston Villa
3. Barrenechea’s Excitement for the Premier League and Villa’s Ambitions