João Gomes

Gomes competes for every loose ball as though it is the only one that matters, closing down opponents quickly and putting himself through challenges that plenty of midfielders would rather avoid. That combativeness makes him an effective shield in front of the back four, breaking up attacks before they reach a dangerous area.

He is not simply a destroyer either, capable of carrying the ball forward once he has won it back and finding a pass to keep an attack moving. Arriving into a new league brings an adjustment period, and how quickly his combative style translates will shape how big a role he plays. Watch how referees treat his tackling early on, because the line between a committed challenge and a reckless one is exactly where his game lives. That edge is precisely what Villa were missing before they brought him in.