Now that David Villa has clearly stated that he is no
longer reluctant to move abroad, one can expect the wheels to go
into motion at a number of clubs. Valencia’s economic woes are well
documented, as is the fact that — barring an unexpected white
knight investor — Villa or David Silva or, possibly, both, will be
made available for sale. And, simply put, it is hard to find a
better striker on the market now than Villa.
Statistically, the Spaniard is already in a league of his
own among forwards in top European leagues. It’s not just that he
has scored 182 goals in 336 league appearances. It’s the fact that
he has recorded at least 15 goals in a season every year since
breaking into the first team at Sporting Gijón at the age of 19.
Given that his total for this season already stands at 12 (in 14
games) it appears certain that his streak will continue, extending
to an incredible nine consecutive years. To put such a feat in
context, consider that no other striker in a top European league
has achieved that more than six times in the past eight seasons
(and that even a consummate goalscorer such as Alan Shearer managed
it only nine times in his career).
What is more, Villa has proven to be extremely durable,
appearing in more than 90 per cent of Valencia’s games in that
period. For a diminutive, pacy striker like him, that, too, is a
remarkable feat.
His international record speaks for itself. With 35 goals in 54
games for Spain, he is second in their list of all-time scorers
(despite having made his debut only four years ago).
Equally attractive to prospective buyers is his versatility. He
has been successful as a lone centre forward, a shadow striker and
even out wide in a 4-3-3. Villa turned 28 this month, which
suggests he has at least another five solid seasons to come. Still,
at about £30 million to £35 million he won’t come cheap (at least
relative to his age). Yet for some clubs — and some managers — the
price of failing to reach their seasonal objectives might be that
much higher.
