With Champions League qualification secured, the next step for Aston Villa will be to ensure that they can be a competitive outfit in the competition next season, with Unai Emery in need of further additions to help bolster his chances across all fronts.
The onus will be on replicating and even bettering the success of last summer's transfer activity, with the Midlands side notably snapping up the likes of Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans, as well as club-record signing, Moussa Diaby.
38 games (25 starts)
6 goals
7 'big chances' missed
8 assists
13 'big chances' created
1.2 key passes per game
83% pass accuracy
0.8 successful dribbles per game
6.3x possession lost per game
The fleet-footed Frenchman – who arrived from Bayer Leverkusen on a £51.9m deal – enjoyed an impressive first season in English football after contributing ten goals and nine assists in all competitions, with Villa perhaps able to repeat that feat by landing the next Diaby this time around.
Aston Villa chasing French wonderkid
According to French outlet Foot Mercato, the Premier League outfit are said to be showing a 'strong desire' to sign Stade Rennais sensation, Mathis Lambourde, with Emery's side joined by a raft of Bundesliga clubs in keeping a close watch on the 18-year-old.
The report suggests that Villa have been 'seduced' by the youngster's quality and could be tempted to make a move this summer, albeit with nothing formal having taken place as yet.
The piece goes on to add that the teenager is happy to wait to see if a concrete approach from Monchi and co does arrive over the coming weeks and months, with no real desire to agitate for a move at present.
Mathis Lambourde's style of play
Amid the club's impending return to Europe's premier competition, the onus will of course be on snapping up figures who can immediately impact the first-team at Villa Park, with strength in depth required across the pitch for Emery to be successful.
That said, for Monchi to also be planning for the future with a deal for the likes of Lambourde is hardly the worst idea, particularly with the Rennes starlet earning rave reviews of late, having been dubbed a "huge talent" by respected youth insider, Jacek Kulig.
Due to his relative youth, the promising forward – who can play all across the front line or as a number ten – has actually made just three first-team appearances for his current side, albeit while chalking up 13 goals in only 18 games at U19 level, as well as three goals in 16 games for Rennes' B side.
It is on the international front where Lambourde has particularly dazzled after registering nine goals in only 15 outings for France's U17s, with such form having come amid comparisons to the aforementioned Diaby, due to the left-footer's ability to operate as a second striker or on the flanks.
As Kulig has noted, the emerging wonderkid's particular strengths lie in his pace, acceleration and dribbling, all facets of the game which Diaby has illustrated in abundance this term, the 24-year-old having been dubbed "electric" by pundit Gary Neville.
In terms of his dribbling prowess, the one-time Paris Saint-Germain man also ranks in the top 4% among his European peers for progressive carries per 90, showcasing a breathtaking ability to drag Emery's side up the pitch at breakneck speed.
While Diaby is a relatively young man himself, lining up a potential successor in the form of his teenage compatriot could prove a real masterclass, with Lambourde hoping to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Jhon Duran – the 20-year-old having scored eight times this season.
A player with an "extremely interesting future ahead", in the words of Kulig, it is easy to see why Lambourde has caught the attention of clubs across the continent, with Villa needing to ensure that they are at the front of the queue this summer.
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