‘Special’ player is now being forced to train alone after being strongly linked with Aston Villa move

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Aston Villa have made one of the most promising starts to the summer transfer window of any Premier League club.

Perhaps Unai Emery was needing his side to make a proactive start considering what Villa have ahead of them over the coming months.

The 2023/24 campaign was a real rollercoaster of a ride for Villa fans with Champions League secured for the upcoming season.

And with that will require Villa to have a squad filled with quality if they are wanting to compete on all fronts.

Emery has certainly been handed that so far in the summer with Villa having signed eight players already over the first month and a half of the window.

One of the players who Villa are also looking to add to their squad has now been forced to train alone with speculation surrounding his future.

• READ MORE: Stan Collymore says Aston Villa have pulled off a ‘really good bit of business’

Aston Villa target is being forced to train alone

It is going to be a difficult task for Villa to maintain the league form they showed last season on top of their Champions League efforts.

Of course, Villa were able to go a long way in the Europa Conference League but the Champions League is a different beast.

As well as needing to rotate his squad to maintain their levels across all competitions, Emery is going to need real quality if Villa are to put up a fight in the Champions League.

And that is exactly what they are looking to add to their squad over the coming weeks with one specific player on their radar.

• READ MORE: Gabriel Agbonlahor thinks Aston Villa have just made a fantastic signing

According to Fabrizio Romano, Atletico Madrid have now forced Joao Felix to train alone with his future at the club in doubt.

It is claimed there is no chance that Felix will be an Atleti player come the end of the window with Diego Simeone’s side desperate to sell.

Emery is said to be dreaming of a potential swoop for the Portuguese forward but Atletico’s asking price will have to be reduced.

Aston Villa could land really ‘special’ player in Joao Felix

The Portuguese forward has already had a taste of Premier League football following his short loan stay with Chelsea.

It was by no means a roaring success with Felix returning four goals in his 16 Premier League appearances; along with a red card on his debut.

But this is a player with real quality and has been hailed by Spain’s Euro-winning striker Alvaro Morata in recent years.

“The truth is that Joao has a special talent, that last pass. Although also Correa, Lemar, Marcos, Koke… the people behind put up great balls and we have to keep working and run into space,” he told the media in 2022.

And what a real statement of intent it would be from Villa if they were to sign Felix.