Aston Villa lead race for Anderlecht’s Nilson Angulo as talks open around £25m

Aston Villa have moved into pole position to sign 22-year-old Ecuadorian winger Nilson Angulo from Anderlecht, with initial talks underway. Villa are exploring a package capped at around £25m, while Anderlecht value the player at about €30m. Liverpool and Manchester United are tracking the situation, and interest from Portugal remains warm. Angulo, a quick, direct wide forward who can play both flanks, has grown into a reliable starter in Belgium and fits Unai Emery’s high-intensity, vertical system. Multiple sources indicate Villa’s approach is the most advanced, with discussions over structure and add-ons accelerating ahead of the winter window.

The push comes as Premier League clubs firm up January targets and Belgian sides assess mid-season sales. Anderlecht are prepared to negotiate from a position of strength after Angulo’s steady rise since arriving in 2022. Villa have kept close tabs for months, conducting live scouting and data benchmarking against their current wide options. England’s two traditional heavyweights remain attentive, keeping channels open in case Villa cannot reach a final agreement. Portuguese contenders have sounded out intermediaries, but without formal bids so far.

EXCL 🚨💎🇪🇨 Nilson Angulo (22), la directiva de Anderlecht solicita €30M, clubes de Portugal y de Inglaterra incluyendo Liverpool y Man Utd están en carrera por su fichaje. Aston Villa es quien ha tomado la delantera, y han iniciando conversaciones, con un máximo de £25M ✅💣

@twotrepi

Impact Analysis

On the pitch, this has clean tactical logic for Villa. Angulo profiles as a high-tempo, two-footed winger who attacks space early, carries the ball aggressively and presses with conviction. Emery’s preferred structure - out of possession 4-4-2, in possession morphing into a narrow front three with width created on rotations - rewards wide forwards who can attack the half-spaces and defend transitions. Angulo has shown he can hold width on the right, drive inside off the left, and combine quickly with overlapping full-backs. That flexibility gives Villa a reliable rotation piece behind Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby without dropping intensity.

Financially, the numbers are coherent. A £20m-£22m base fee rising to £25m with performance triggers fits Villa’s recent recruitment pattern for ascending profiles with resale potential. For Anderlecht, a sale near €30m would represent an excellent return on a player acquired in 2022 and developed into a consistent contributor. If Liverpool or Manchester United step up, the auction could push the add-ons higher, but Villa’s early move helps set the framework.

From a squad-building angle, this cushions against fixture congestion in league and Europe and reduces injury risk concentration on current starters. Registration and Governing Body Endorsement should be straightforward given top-flight minutes in Belgium and his international pathway. Net effect: a low-to-moderate fee for a high-upside winger who fits Emery’s game model now and carries clear upside later.

Reaction

Fan sentiment splits along two lines: fee and fit. One camp argues that €30m sounds steep for a player moving from Belgium, calling the number “crazy” for a winter window. The other points to Villa’s recent track record developing attackers and insists Emery is precisely the coach to sharpen Angulo’s final ball and pressing intelligence. Among neutrals, there’s curiosity about whether Liverpool or Manchester United will formalize interest or simply monitor while prioritizing other positions.

Villa supporters largely welcome the profile - pace, elasticity on either wing, and a willingness to defend high up the pitch. Some note he mirrors attributes that have worked for Bailey under Emery, which could increase internal competition and raise the floor of the unit. Detractors question end product under Premier League pressure, suggesting Portugal might be a more gradual step. Meanwhile, Ecuadorian fans are excited by the pathway from Belgium to England, confident that a tightly coached setup will accelerate his growth. Overall mood: cautious about price, optimistic about the fit.

Social reactions

sería cool que vaya al Aston Villa, Unay Emery sabe potenciar a los jugadores

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (MODO #IDV) 💙🖤 (@Aaron19272)

30 mill would be crazy

jhay (@jhayyappiess)

Este posteo es de reconocimiento al Máximo Ganador con la camiseta de #IDV Richard Schunke con 7️⃣⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Títulos 🏆. Histórico Capi

Independiente del Valle (@IDV_EC)

Prediction

Villa have a clear runway. Expect an opening structure near £20m fixed plus add-ons tied to appearances and European qualification, nudging total value toward £25m. If Anderlecht hold firm at €30m guaranteed, talks could pause, but the more likely scenario sees compromise via achievable bonuses and a healthy sell-on clause. Personal terms are not expected to be an obstacle, with a long-term deal and performance-linked increments on the table.

Key watchpoints over the next 7-10 days: Anderlecht’s stance on guaranteed money, whether an English rival tests the waters with a late enquiry, and if a Portuguese club escalates from admiration to a concrete offer. Should Villa maintain their lead without a bidding war, a swift medical and announcement early in the window is feasible. If competition spikes, the fee could edge higher and push resolution into late January. Probability baseline today: Villa complete the move; fallback scenario is a structured agreement for summer if winter valuations don’t align.

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Conclusion

Everything about this lines up for a January green light. Villa want another direct wide runner to protect intensity across competitions. Angulo wants the next step and his game fits the Premier League rhythm. Anderlecht, expertly managed in the market, know when to crystallize value and re-invest. The fee band being discussed is robust but not reckless for a 22-year-old with clear developmental headroom.

Unless a late heavyweight bid scrambles the order, Villa’s early, organized approach should pay off. The upside is immediate depth and long-term value in a role Emery prioritizes weekly. For the player, it’s a move into a coaching environment that prizes detail and decision speed - the two areas that can turn his promising output into consistent Premier League production. Right player, right coach, right timing. Now it’s about aligning the final numbers.