Aston Villa eye £15m bid for Boca’s Delgado after £93m midfield spend this summer in the transfer window

Aston Villa will submit a formal bid for 21‑year‑old Boca Juniors midfielder Milton Delgado within days. The club have planned the bid after scouting the Argentine for six months. The report describes Delgado as a central defender and midfielder suited to English football. Boca president Juan Román Riquelme wants to retain Delgado after his club’s title win, but a large offer could trigger a January move.

Player profile and statistics

Brighton have previously shown interest in Delgado. Delgado has made 86 senior appearances, including 45 this season. He won the bronze ball at the 2025 Under‑20 World Cup. In 2025 he recorded 52 tackles in 1,690 league minutes. Standing 5 ft 5 in, he has no senior goals, two assists and seven bookings in 28 league games this year. His release clause is reported at $20‑25 million, roughly £15‑19 million.

Financial context and squad depth

Villa have already spent a club‑record £59.5 million on Johan Manzambi and £34 million plus add‑ons on João Gomes, totalling more than £93 million. The club also rely on Kamara and a returning Amadou Onana in similar midfield roles. Villa’s midfield remains unsettled after the departures of creative and defensive anchors.

On Sunday at Old Trafford Villa drew 4‑4 with Manchester United, a result the club described as feeling like a defeat. Villa led 2‑0 inside four minutes and were 4‑2 up shortly after the break. United equalised twice in stoppage time, with Patrick Dorgu scoring a 96th‑minute header. The collapse followed a 3‑0 loss to Barcelona five days earlier, Villa’s first Champions League defeat of the campaign. The problems date back to the summer when Youri Tielemans moved to Manchester United for a reported £36 million and later scored against his former club. Amadou Onana suffered a cruciate ligament rupture expected to sideline him for six to nine months. Unai Emery said his side could not stop United’s late run down the left flank and lost control of the midfield once pressed. Villa now sit in the Premier League’s top half, but the recent fixtures have highlighted the thinness of their midfield.

Paying £15‑19 million for Delgado would add depth but not address Villa’s need for a creator like Tielemans. A bid of that size would also test Boca’s willingness to sell, given Riquelme’s desire to keep the player after winning the title.