Villarreal track Ivorian midfielder Jean-Daniel Akpa according to L’Equipe

The Yellow Submarine have been linked to Ivorian midfielder Jean-Daniel Akpa according to French sports journal  L’Equipe. The cost of the transfer would be around 1,5 million.

Jean-Daniel Akpa featured in 33 games for Les Pitchouns, scoring a goal and registering 4 assists as Toulouse merely scraped relegation in Ligue 1.

Akpa was part of the Ivory Coast squad in the 2014 Brazil World Cup but did not play a single minute for Les Éléphants. He was also part of the squad that won the 2015 African Cup of Nations although he did not leave the bench in the entire competition either.

Seems rather difficult to make a positive impression about this rumor. Villarreal does not particularly need another holding midfielder unless Marcelino actually employs N’Diaye as CB, which doesn’t sound very encouraging. While the cost of the transfer seems like a bargain, Akpa plays for a team has has barely scraped relegation in France in the past 3 seasons, and he is not a starter for the Ivory Coast national team either. He’s behind the pecking order as 3rd or 4th choice. He would not be the first option in the double pivot for Villarreal either. I think the club should try to focus on integrate Rodri sporadically so that he develops accordingly as he should instead of leaving the club as Sergio Marcos did. Rodri should be the natural successor of Bruno now that Sergio Marcos is no longer at the club.

I don’t think these are the kind of signings Villarreal ought to be making if they plan to compete at the highest level in La Liga and Champions League. But who knows?. Akpa might turn out a shrewd signing for the Submarino as he is still young, and has margin of improvement.