Aston Villa have gone on a summer splurge this move window to ensure their amazing 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, with the club struggling to stay out of the relegation zone and now be 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.
However, Premier League PSR rules dictated 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 had in their sights, a prop in Sean Dyche’s midfield and a regular in the Belgian national team, famous for his defensive sense and positional play.
While Maatsen helped Borussia Dortmund triumph in the Champions League final after being loaned out by Chelsea and associated with a move to Bayern Munich.
Villa completed a shrewd move for Ross Barkley, who left Luton Town following their relegation to the Championship, for a modest 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 characteristics in the squad and has sufficiently reinforced the squad with several high-potential youngsters.
Cameron Archer, a product of the Academy, 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, all of whom have shown immense promise and may be the next big stars under Emery.
But Villa’s summer revamp might not end there and an ambitious move for Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix remains the dream, which could take the club to prominence if its world-class outlook is realised.
The Portuguese foreigner joined Atletico in 2019 for a staggering £113m, a Spanish record, but has since been loaned to Chelsea and Barcelona, and Diego Simeone is pleased to get rid of the 24-year-old.
The dazzling striker may not be the best choice at the Wanda Metropolitano as Simeone prefers quality of art over style and Emery could also be the perfect coach to get the best out 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 be rid of after just 16 Premier League games in two seasons.
However, Villa legend and talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor does not believe the former Leeds United star will enter Villa’s starting XI and only serve 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 be a few months away from returning.
“When he is fit, Kamara starts. But it may take him three 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, you’ve got Ramsey, you’ve got Barkley, you’ve got 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, that another midfielder, a loan, does it make sense?Why not? You can bring it, there’s no guarantee it’s going to start. He did not start at Aston Villa’s most productive. . XI.
“But he’s an option, especially with Kamara. No you know what his injury will be like when he comes back, so I’m not worried about it as an option, he’s a loan, so I don’t see an opportunity. Why not?”
It remains to be seen whether Phillips will enter the Villa XI if he has symptoms, but his possible arrival would give Emery more metal in midfield, a position weakened after the departure of Luiz.
However, it is in defense where Villa would possibly want to have Matty Cash, the only senior option at right back apart from 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 £50m
Ian Maatsen signed from Chelsea for £37. 5m
Jaden Philogene, signed from Hull City for 18 million pounds
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 9 million pounds
Ross Barkley, from Luton Town for £5m
Total: £153. 5 million
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