Barcelona's transfer fixer who signed Robert Lewandowski is joining Aston Villa as Unai Emery pulls off significant coup to bring in Mateu Alemany

• Contract to be signed
• Alemany will work with Unai Emery
• Also overseeing Barcelona transfers

WHAT HAPPENED? Alemany is poised to take on a new role at Villa, per Fabrizio Romano, having previously announced that he would be leaving Barcelona to take on a new project. Barca said that Alemany would help oversee the club's transfers this summer, raising the prospect of him working for both clubs in one window.

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THE BIGGER PICTURE: Alemany has previously been described as "a killer" and was instrumental in helping the Spanish club lower their wage bill in order to register signings such as Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres last year. Romano now reports that Villa are likely to begin scouting for top talent in Spain's major league, amid links with Torres

AND WHAT'S MORE: Emery has transformed Villa from relegation candidates to European contenders, with the club currently eighth in the Premier League and level on points with Tottenham in seventh. With Alemany potentially on their books next term, there is scope for Villa to maintain and even build upon the high standards set this campaign.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT FOR VILLA? The club have four more games to play this season, the first coming against Midlands rivals Wolves this Saturday, followed by matchers against Spurs, Liverpool, and Brighton as they attempt to realise their European ambitions.