Aston Villa are interested in signing Marseille midfielder Matteo Guendouzi in the January transfer window but might not be able to get a deal done, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Guendouzi impressing at Marseille

The Frenchman is known to English football followers, and indeed to Villa boss Unai Emery, after his stint at Arsenal under the 51-year-old, but he is now coming into his own as a player back in his homeland.

Guendouzi has become a key figure at the heart of Marseille's midfield this season, making 17 appearances in Ligue 1 and enjoying an 88.1% pass completion rate, which would place him third for the same metric at Villa Park.

It could be that a return to the Premier League is on the cards, which is where Villa and NSWE come into play.

The Latest: Villa interested in Guendouzi

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that the Villans are interested in making a move for Guendouzi, amid recent transfer links with the player, although he added that nothing concrete has emerged yet.

The journalist said:

"I think it’s a straightforward one; yeah, there’s a level of interest in this but I’m cautious, to be honest, about the probability of it actually being followed through and it becoming a done deal.

"Yeah, I’m getting very mixed signals on it to be honest."

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The Verdict: Could be an upgrade

Guendouzi could be an excellent signing for Villa this month, providing an upgrade in Emery's current options in that area of the pitch.

The 23-year-old's 6.78 WhoScored rating for the current campaign exceeds all of Villa's midfielders, while his match average of 0.8 key passes is bettered only by Douglas Luiz (1.1) among positional peers in claret and blue.

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Guendouzi's current Marseille deal doesn't run out until the summer of 2025 but they could be willing to accept a big offer, with the France international ready to 'step his game up', according to a statement from Thierry Henry last year.

Emery may needs midfield additions in the near future, especially if Luiz is tempted by a move away after Arsenal wanted him last summer, and the Frenchman could be an ideal figure to come in and add authority in that area at Villa Park, be it this month or later in the year.