Aston Villa are facing a pivotal three-week period to finalise their summer transfer business, with Unai Emery seeking several new additions to bolster the squad ahead of another Champions League campaign. The club's recent Europa League triumph in May, secured just days after a top-five finish with a home victory over Liverpool, has set high expectations for the upcoming season.
Major Departures Shape the Squad
This summer has seen significant changes to the Villa roster. Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans have both departed for Chelsea and Manchester United respectively, while Lucas Digne is poised to join Paris Saint-Germain. Additionally, Andres Garcia has left on loan to Getafe, and Leon Bailey is expected to complete a move to Hull City shortly.
Evann Guessand, who returned from a loan spell at Crystal Palace, could head back to Selhurst Park on loan, with both the Ivorian and Bailey potentially making space for another attacker should they leave. Offloading both players would create room in the team and budget for a new attacking signing, crucial for the challenging campaign ahead.
New Arrivals and Record Signings
Villa have already secured Alejandro Garnacho on loan with a conditional obligation to buy, while Johan Manzambi became the club's record arrival at £52 million. Joao Gomes, signed for £35 million from Wolves, has been brought in as Tielemans' replacement and has impressed in pre-season so far.
However, the club are in need of more attacking talent. While Alysson is yet to prove himself and should be given opportunities when the time is right, a ready-made addition to add quality on the right wing would be Real Madrid's Endrick. According to BirminghamLive, Villa are monitoring Endrick's situation at Madrid in the final weeks of the summer window.
Should a move materialise, Endrick would offer versatility as a striker or right winger, providing Emery with serious quality in the final third. Meanwhile, a new left-back is also required, with Matteo Ruggeri from Atletico Madrid expected to arrive soon.
Defensive Reinforcements on the Horizon
Another right-back would complete Villa's defensive options and provide strength in depth, with Tyrone Mings, Pau Torres, Ezri Konsa, and Victor Lindelof all available at centre-back. West Ham are expected to sell Aaron Wan-Bissaka before the end of the month, and Villa could benefit from bringing him in to add competition for Matty Cash and reduce his dependency.
Last season, Cash did not suffer many injury issues, but in previous campaigns, he has missed games due to niggles. Wan-Bissaka would not only reduce the number of games Cash must play but also push him to reach his best levels again.
Midfield Depth and Key Retentions
In midfield, Joao Palhinha would be another strong addition, fleshing out depth and reducing the need for Kamara to play every minute when available. Although Kamara is arguably Villa's best player, Palhinha could certainly compete for his place and play alongside him if certain games require a specific profile in the engine room. Villa have been in talks with Bayern Munich over signing Palhinha to cover the absence of Amadou Onana, who will miss all of next season due to an ACL injury suffered in the World Cup.
Regarding further sales, Villa must keep hold of Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa, who have both received interest from elsewhere this summer. Lamare Bogarde and Tammy Abraham could both leave in the coming weeks if the right offers arrive, further boosting Villa's budget but also leaving holes in the team should they depart, especially up front.
How Many More Players Do Villa Need?
With the transfer window closing in three weeks, the club faces a busy period ahead. The need for additional attacking talent, a left-back, and possibly a right-back and midfielder suggests that several more signings could be on the cards. The departures of key players have created gaps, but the arrivals of Garnacho, Manzambi, and Gomes have already strengthened the squad. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining Villa's success in the upcoming season.
