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Diego Carlos moves to Villa Park having spent three years at Sevilla
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The £26 million man brings a wealth of experience to the club
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He can be a key figure for Steven Gerrard’s side in the coming seasons
Aston Villa have been busy in the summer transfer window and Diego Carlos has the profile required to thrive in the Premier League.
A first team regular in Seville since joining from Nantes in 2019, their loss will be Villa’s gain and Steven Gerrard will be delighted to get this deal over the line.
Statistically, Carlos ticks plenty of boxes but will he adapt quickly to the pace of England’s top flight? Only time will tell…
The football transfer odds are hinting at more activity in the coming months and the Villa starting line-up could be full of new faces on the opening day of the season.
Without further ado, it’s time to take a look at Diego Carlos and his strengths, weaknesses and how he may fare in English football.
In Possession
The modern game is all about keeping possession and Carlos is your stereotypical Brazilian defender in that regard.
According to various online sources, Carlos completed more passes than any other defender in La Liga last season.
In fact, only Sergio Busquets made more passes overall – which shows best of all just how impressive Carlos’ statistics were.
He ended the 2021/22 season with 89% pass accuracy, an incredible achievement for any player let alone a central defender.
Diego Carlos deal has been officially completed between Aston Villa and Sevilla. “I am really happy because the Premier League is one of the best competitions”, he said. 🇧🇷 #AVFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 1, 2022
“I always want to do the best for the club and the shirt I'm wearing”.
Versatility is another key trait of his, with many hinting that Carlos might be more influential in a holding midfield role – similar to the role taken up by David Luiz.
His calm and composed nature should help to ease pressure on the Villa defence as Gerrard continues to put his own stamp on proceedings.
Villa are odds on in most betting markets to finish in the top half this season and Carlos is the right type of player to lead the club to new heights.
Body On The Line
Any defender worth his salt needs to be willing to put their body on the line in any situation, no matter how precarious – Carlos certainly fits the bill here.
He finished the 2021/22 La Liga campaign with more blocks than any other defender and he was very influential in protecting the goal, particularly inside the 18-yard box.
Sevilla finished the campaign with the best defensive record in the league and Carlos was an integral figure throughout the campaign, helping the club to record 17 clean sheets.
Aston Villa often find themselves under the cosh, adopting a counter-attacking approach and Carlos’ presence at the heart of the defence will certainly give fans a boost.
He exudes confidence and charisma, throwing himself in the line of fire in a bid to protect his goalkeeper.
Whether playing alongside Tyrone Mings or not, Carlos can be a huge hit at Villa Park and he will be popular in Premier League predictions next term.
Reading The Game
Watch Virgil van Dijk and look how he reads the game – that is what separates him from his peers. Carlos is smart but he can certainly improve in that regard.
As previously mentioned, Villa often defend with a low block and so reading the game isn’t as important as it would be if they dominated possession.
However, Carlos will still be required to use his football brain and predict where attacks may or may not be dangerous and when to commit.
Intellect is now more important than ever before in the modern era and Carlos should look at the likes of Van Dijk and Antonio Rudiger when moulding his own game.
He has one of the best managers in the league for getting players drilled but the ability to understand and read passages of play comes naturally.
Weakness
Discipline has been a major problem for Carlos throughout his career, particularly when the pressure is turned up a notch.
Carlos was a star at the back for Sevilla throughout their successful Europa League campaign in 2019/20 but he found himself in a compromising position on several occasions.
He conceded a penalty in the quarter-final win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, the semi-final win over Manchester United and in the final itself against Inter Milan.
The Brazilian received 20 yellow cards in three seasons in La Liga and he will have to try and channel his aggression to avoid cautions in the Premier League.
While La Liga officials have a reputation for being card-happy, Premier League referees try not to brandish cards as frequently but Carlos’ reputation may precede him.
Watch this space – Carlos could thrive in England’s top flight but Villa fans should be wary of his hot-headed nature.
Will Diego Carlos Be A Hit?
Previously linked with Liverpool and Newcastle United, Carlos has been the subject of Premier League interest and that can only be viewed as a positive from a Villa perspective.
Gerrard will be over the moon to acquire a player of such experience and Carlos can be a leading figure at Villa Park for many years to come.
There is no way of knowing if a player will adapt to the Premier League or not but Carlos ticks plenty of boxes to enjoy a successful career in English football.
The Villa Park faithful should be happy enough. Carlos isn’t going to carry the club to the lofty heights of Europe on his own but he is a top calibre player.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 8th June 2022
