28-year-old sets sights on Aston Villa move with talks opened as release clause revealed
Aston Villa’s outstanding 2025/26 season has only increased expectations around Villa Park, with Unai Emery now preparing for an ambitious summer after guiding the club to Europa League glory and another strong Premier League finish.
Villa’s development under Emery has continued at an impressive pace over the last two years.
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Winning the Europa League marked another major milestone for the club, while their league form again underlined how competitive they have become against England’s top sides, despite their comparatively limited spending power.
Emery has steadily built a squad capable of balancing domestic and European football, and attention has now turned towards strengthening key areas ahead of next season.
Goalkeeper depth is one position Villa are actively assessing this summer, particularly amid continuing uncertainty around the long-term future of Emiliano Martínez.
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That may explain why Borussia Mönchengladbach goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas has emerged as a serious target.
Aston Villa open talks over deal for Moritz Nicolas
According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa have already opened club-to-club talks over a potential move for the 28-year-old German goalkeeper.
Moritz Nicolas
The report states that Nicolas is highly enthusiastic about the possibility of joining Villa and views a move to the Premier League as a major career opportunity.
Villa’s interest is believed to be genuine, with Emery’s staff reportedly impressed by Nicolas’ performances in the Bundesliga this season.
The German goalkeeper enjoyed arguably the best campaign of his career with Gladbach.
He started all 34 of his Bundesliga matches, kept 13 clean sheets and established himself as one of the division’s most reliable shot-stoppers.
Nicolas’ consistency was widely praised in Germany throughout the second half of the season, even though he narrowly missed out on selection for Germany’s World Cup squad.
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Standing at 6ft 4in, Nicolas is known for his strong reflexes, command of the penalty area and calm distribution from the back — all qualities that fit naturally into Emery’s tactical setup.
The financial details surrounding the move are also becoming clearer.
Sky Germany and multiple German reports have confirmed that Nicolas has a release clause in his contract which applies specifically to clubs from Europe’s top five leagues.
For Premier League clubs, including Villa, the clause is fixed at £13 million.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery during training
That figure is relatively good value given the current goalkeeper market, particularly for a player entering his prime years with extensive Bundesliga experience.
Martinez remains one of the club’s key players, but there has been increasing speculation linking the Argentina international with a high-profile exit in recent months.
Even if Martinez stays, adding another high-level goalkeeper appears to be part of Villa’s long-term planning.
Nicolas’ enthusiasm for the move could also help accelerate negotiations.
Reports in Germany suggest the player is aware of the growing Premier League interest and has so far resisted attempts from Gladbach to agree fresh contract terms.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery celebrates after winning the UEFA Europa League
From Villa’s perspective, the deal fits Emery’s wider recruitment strategy.
Rather than simply chasing marquee signings, Villa have increasingly targeted players entering their peak years who can strengthen competition across the squad immediately.
Nicolas appears to fit that model closely.
There is still work to do before any agreement is finalised, but Villa’s interest is now well established. After such an impressive season under Emery, the club are looking to build again, and Nicolas may become one of the first significant additions of the summer.
If a deal somehow cannot be done for him, Man City’s James Trafford could be an excellent alternative.
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