Aston Villa have gone on a summer spree in this window of removals to ensure their impressive season is a flash in the pan.
Aston Villa stunned the Premier League last season by completing the top four to clinch a Champions League spot.
This is a testament to the coaching capabilities of Unai Emery, who replaced Steven Gerrard in October 2022, as the club struggled to stay out of the relegation zone to now become a European team.
However, the summer started well with the departure of key player Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £43m, one of the pillars of Emery’s team that propelled them to glory with nine league goals in 35 appearances.
Premier League PSR rules, however, stated that Villa had to make money temporarily and they also sold academy aces Omari Kellyman and Tim Iroegbunam to bolster their coffers.
Saudi Arabia also arrived here with Moussa Diaby leaving after a season at Villa Park for a £55m move to Al Ittihad, while Morgan Sanson, Calum Chambers and Viljami Sinisalo also left on permanent deals.
In total, Villa earned around £150 million; However, that cash was used wisely almost without delay and £153. 5 million was spent in total.
Two main signings have been made: Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen, who had spells at Everton and Borussia Dortmund respectively.
Onana, who Manchester United were following, a mainstay of Sean Dyche’s midfield and a regular for the Belgian national team, famous for his defensive acumen and positional play.
While Maatsen helped Borussia Dortmund triumph in the Champions League final after being on loan from Chelsea and was linked with a move to Bayern Munich.
Villa also made a sensible move for Ross Barkley, who left Luton Town after their relegation to the Championship, for a small fee, returning to the club he joined on loan in 2020.
With the Champions League looming on the horizon and the festival undergoing major changes, Emery will need team characteristics and has sufficiently reinforced the squad with several of great potential.
Academy product Cameron Archer has re-signed for Villa after a year at Sheffield United, whom he could not save from relegation, and will replace Ollie Watkins up front.
Another player returning to the club is Jaden Philogene, who left Hull City in the summer after one season to join Villa as Archer, and had been pursued by Premier League rivals Everton and Ipswich Town.
Also joining are former Juventus duo Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenchea, as well as Everton’s Lewis Dobbin, who have shown great promise and may be the next big stars under Emery.
But Villa’s summer renewal might not prevent that and an ambitious move for Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix remains the dream, which could take the club to the top if its world-class prospect is discovered.
The Portuguese foreigner joined Atlético in 2019 for a staggering £113million, a Spanish record, but has since been loaned out to Chelsea and Barcelona, with Diego Simeone content to offload the 24-year-old. .
The dazzling striker may not be the most productive team at the Wanda Metropolitano as Simeone prefers the speed of work over style and Emery could also be the perfect coach to make the most of the 2019 Golden Boy Award winner.
There are links to Manchester City star Kalvin Phillips, whose loan spell at West Ham last season did him no favors after a poor season in London.
This has not deterred Villa, however, and a loan offer is being prepared for the English foreigner to save him from the Etihad, which Pep Guardiola is happy to get rid of after just 16 Premier League games in two seasons.
However, Villa legend and talkSPORT expert Gabriel Agbonlahor is not saying that the former Leeds United star will enter Villa’s starting XI and will only function as a team option.
He told talkSPORT: “When you look at the position played through Kalvin Phillips, you look at [Boubacar] Kamara, who had knee ligament disorders in February and may only have a few months left to come back.
“When he is fit, Kamara starts. But it takes him 3 months or more to come back, so we want a bit more in that position and we have a lot of characteristics in midfield.
“You’ve got [Youri] Tielemans, you’ve got Barrenchea, you’ve got [John] McGinn, [Jacob] Ramsey, Barkley, Onana.
“But if you talk about midfielders who will be No. 6, win the ball, launch the attacks, be competitive to win the ball back and be physical, Kamara will be our main man.
“Losing him and promoting Luiz, another midfielder, a loan, does it make sense?Why not? You can bring it, there’s no guarantee it’s going to start. He does not start in Aston Villa’s most productive eleven. .
“But he is an option, especially with Kamara, you don’t know what his injury will be like when he comes back so I’m not worried about him as an option, he’s a loan so I don’t see an opportunity. Explanation of why why not”
It remains to be seen whether Phillips will enter the Villa XI if he develops symptoms, but his potential arrival would give Emery more metal in midfield, a position weakened after Luiz’s departure.
However, it is in defence where Villa would possibly want to have Matty Cash, the only senior option at right-back besides Kaine Kesler-Hayden, who has only played 3 Premier League games.
In attack, Felix would be a much-needed replacement for Saudi Arabia’s Diaby, while Morgan Rogers inspired with three goals following his mid-season move from Middlesbrough last season.
Amadou Onana, signed from Everton for 50 million pounds
Ian Maatsen, signed from Chelsea for 37. 5 million pounds
Jaden Philogene signed from Hull City for £18m
Cameron Archer signed from Sheffield United for £15m
Lewis Dobbin signed from Everton for £10m
Samuel Iling-Junior signed from Juventus for £9m
Enzo Barrenchea signed from Juventus for £9m
Ross Barkley from Luton Town for £5m
Total: £153. 5 million
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