Aston Villa have one month left to conclude their summer transfer business, having already strengthened Unai Emery’s squad with three signings during this window.
Just over two weeks ago, Villa secured Johan Manzambi in a club-record £52 million transfer. However, they also faced significant departures; Youri Tielemans moved to Manchester United for £35 million after the Red Devils met his release clause.
The exits did not end there, as Paris Saint-Germain have indicated their intent to activate Lucas Digne’s release clause, although the deal remains unconfirmed.
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In response, Villa acted swiftly to replace Tielemans, with sources confirming that Joao Gomes was leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers' training camp in Portugal to join Villa for £35 million.
Additionally, Villa initiated talks with Bayern Munich regarding Joao Palhinha, aiming to secure cover for the injured Amadou Onana, who is expected to miss most, if not the entirety, of the upcoming season due to an ACL injury.
Morgan Rogers, anticipated among the key departures, completed a record British transfer to Chelsea for £117 million earlier this month.
While Manzambi has effectively replaced Rogers and Gomes succeeded Tielemans, Villa’s third new recruit, Alejandro Garnacho, fills a gap that has existed for some time.
Garnacho has joined on an initial loan, stepping in to fill the void left by Jadon Sancho’s departure after his loan spell. Meanwhile, Andres Garcia’s move to Getafe has further depleted Villa’s right-back options.
With Digne likely departing, the club now faces the urgent need to recruit two full-backs, a midfielder to replace Onana, and a creative player to succeed Leon Bailey, who is reportedly open to a move to Hull City.
Pervis Estupinan emerges as Villa’s primary target to replace Digne, with AC Milan reportedly desiring to recover the €20 million they invested in him last summer. However, the new Milan manager, Ruben Amorim, appears keen to evaluate Estupinan further during pre-season.
Emerson Royal is also identified as Villa’s preferred right-back target, prized for his relatively low valuation by Flamengo, the club he joined from Milan last summer.
Villa ideally seek a midfielder capable of covering at right-back, such as James Garner, but Joao Palhinha offers a more economical option on loan to replace Onana.
Although Palhinha has publicly expressed a desire to compete for his place at Wolves under Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich seem inclined to facilitate his move.
A new midfielder and right-back signing could prompt offers for versatile 22-year-old Lamare Bogarde, who can cover both positions. Nevertheless, Emery has historically favoured other options, viewing Bogarde as a valuable squad member.
If Villa complete these key signings, proceeds from the sales of Bailey and Evann Guessand could be reinvested in a creative player to enhance Emery’s attacking options.
Allan, a highly regarded midfielder from Palmeiras, would bring a profile currently missing from Villa’s squad, similar to William Gomes of FC Porto, though Allan commands a higher fee. Villa reportedly had a €30 million bid for Allan rejected.
Nicolas Jackson would be a desirable addition to Villa’s forward line, especially if Tammy Abraham departs. However, Jackson’s expected cost significantly exceeds the funds likely received from Abraham’s sale, who joined only in January for £18 million.
UEFA regulations require Villa to achieve a net positive transfer balance by the end of the window to register players in their Champions League squad’s List A, making it financially challenging to replace Abraham with Jackson.
It is advisable for Villa to retain Ollie Watkins this summer despite his contract nearing its final two years, as he remains a reliable source of Premier League goals.
Moreover, maintaining the services of Ezri Konsa and Emi Martinez is crucial during the remaining weeks of the transfer window, especially after losing experienced players such as Digne, Tielemans, and Rogers.
“Villa are balancing urgent squad reinforcements with regulatory requirements, highlighting a complex transfer window under Unai Emery’s stewardship.”