Aston Villa have a verbal agreement with Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes , but the deal is far from simple. French outlet L'Equipe, via Sport Witness , reports that both Napoli and newly promoted Ipswich Town have barged into the boardroom to trigger a three-way transfer battle.
Everything at Villa Park depends on Emiliano Martínez . If the brilliant, erratic Argentine stays put, Unai Emery cannot pull the trigger on a new number one. If he leaves, the vacancy is there. Toulouse know exactly what they have in the 21-year-old shot-stopper. They want a premium package and will not even look at an offer under €20m. For Restes, the next move is about footballing sense, not just a paycheck.
TOULOUSE, FRANCE – NOVEMBER 09: Guillaume Restes of Toulouse celebrates the 1st Toulouse goal during the Group E – UEFA Europa League match 2023/24 match between Toulouse FC v Liverpool FC at Stadium de Toulouse on November 09, 2023 in Toulouse, France. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Look at the data from last season. Restes was an absolute ever-present force in Ligue 1, starting 33 matches for Toulouse. That is massive consistency for a kid his age. He clocked up 33 starts in a top-five European league, managed nine clean sheets behind a shifting defence, and registered 85 saves, showing elite reflexes.
He does not just stand on his line either. Emery demands a modern keeper who can sweep up mess behind a high defensive line and kick-start building from the back. Restes registered 18 sweeper actions last term. He has a massive 188cm frame, dominates his box, and already has 14 caps for the France U21 national side.
Ipswich offer a lower-pressure environment under Gary O'Neil. Napoli and Villa offer the glamour of Champions League football, even with recent dugout changes. Other names are floating around. Zion Suzuki has admirers, but Restes has a proper European pedigree from his Europa League campaign with Toulouse. At €20m, it is an absolute steal for a player with immense sell-on value who gives you long-term security. Villa need to wrap this up before continental rivals hijack the plane.
