After a quiet June, July has brought a flurry of activity at Aston Villa. Players have arrived and departed, while backroom changes have also occurred. Unai Emery's former assistant Pako Ayestaran and performance coach Antonio Rodriguez Saravia left, with Jose Maria Sanz replacing Ayestaran. The club smashed its transfer record to sign Switzerland international Johan Manzambi from Newcastle for £52 million, hijacking the deal. Shortly after, Youri Tielemans joined Manchester United for £35 million after his release clause was activated, and Paris Saint-Germain triggered Lucas Digne's release clause, though that move is not yet confirmed.
Reinforcements Arrive
Villa quickly replaced Tielemans by signing Joao Gomes from Wolves for the same £35 million fee, as exclusively revealed by BirminghamLive. The club also opened talks with Bayern Munich over Joao Palhinha to cover for the injured Amadou Onana, who is likely to miss the entire season with an ACL rupture. The sale of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for around £100 million surprised many, given Arsenal's long-standing interest. Villa then loaned Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea, with a permanent transfer conditional on certain targets.
Strongest Starting XI
As things stand, Emery's strongest lineup appears to be: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Gomes; McGinn, Manzambi, Garnacho; Watkins. However, depth is thin. Bench options currently include Emi Buendia, Alysson, Ross Barkley, and Tammy Abraham. Leon Bailey and Evann Guessand remain but could still depart.
Further Business Required
Villa still need a left-back, right-back, holding midfielder, and creative player to bolster the squad for another Champions League campaign. Retaining key players like Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa, and Emi Martinez is paramount. Selling younger players like Lamare Bogarde, or cashing in on Bailey, Guessand, and Abraham, could generate funds without weakening the first team. The club also lost set-piece coach Austin MacPhee to Chelsea, a notable departure given his reputation.
Challenges Ahead
Aspirations for Champions League qualification remain, but balancing that with recruitment is tough after losing Digne, Tielemans, and Rogers. Villa have already banked around £100 million from sales and reinvested in Gomes, Manzambi, and Garnacho. The transfer window closes on September 1 at 11pm, leaving Emery and the board with significant work to do.
