May has become an increasingly important month at Aston Villa. It is when Unai Emery and his close circle of decision-makers — including Monchi, president of football operations, head of recruitment Bryn Davies and Aston Villa’s data team — present a list of player targets and positions being actively sought.
In those discussions, a clear consensus will emerge. Data on certain candidates will be shown to Emery, with Villa’s manager sharing his thoughts. This invariably leads to the squad’s framework and potential departures.
Villa have an outline of the type of summer window they envisage. But, in truth, club sources who, like all consulted for this article, spoke on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, accept there are several unknowns — including the futures of long-serving trio Emiliano Martinez, Ollie Watkins and Tyrone Mings, plus loan duo Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.
The most decisive unknown is whether Villa qualify for the Champions League again. This will determine the squad’s size — if they fail to, Villa will reduce the wage bill, even more than intended, and the number of players to avoid anyone becoming disgruntled with a lack of game time.
This will influence the bracket of player signed too. The opportunity of working with Emery carries significant pull for but others prefer only Champions League clubs.
Consequently, Villa’s senior figures remain unsure of how much money they will have to spend until the Premier League is concluded.
Staying in line with profit and sustainability regulations (PSR) — which dictates teams cannot incur losses of more than £105million over a three-year period — requires players to be sold, given that with costs higher than revenues, the deficit will need to be covered.
There is an expectation that the early weeks of the window, before the June 30 PSR deadline which marks the end of the financial year, will not be quite as turbulent as last, though Villa need to be proactive. The 2024 summer saw a series of separate transactions between clubs to help navigate PSR, with players traded between Villa and Everton, Juventus and Chelsea.
Villa have large assets, with their standing meaning they can negotiate significant fees. This happened with Jhon Duran in January; had Villa been a mid-table side and Duran had not scored the goals he did in the Champions League, they would not have been able to command a package worth €77million (£64.5m; $87.5m) from Al Nassr.
Duran was a lucrative sale for Villa (Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
Villa admit they simply could not countenance selling Duran and Watkins, even if the latter’s departure remained a possibility. He is a boyhood Arsenal fan and conversations were had about a move to north London. Villa were not totally opposed to the idea.
Before Rashford’s injury, Watkins was left out of the two crunch Champions League quarter-final legs against Paris Saint-Germain, with the 29-year-old admitting he “was fuming” with so little involvement. The striker, who needs one more goal to become Villa’s leading scorer in the Premier League, has been known to knock on Emery’s door to ask why he has been left out of certain games. Watkins’ future will be reassessed, with discussions between the player’s camp and Villa to take place at the end of the season.
Martinez, like Watkins, has formed the spine of Villa’s success under Emery. Yet there are doubts over both players — the nature of Saudi Pro League transfers mean there are long chains of commands between decision-makers at clubs and they therefore prefer to decide on their list of targets early.
Martinez is one of the players they have interest in. Sources close to the player say no talks have started, but agents with close links to Saudi Arabia state the 32-year-old is part of conversations around recruits. Like with every transfer, Villa are succession planning — Espanyol’s Joan Garcia, 24, has been mentioned as a possible, younger replacement — but Martinez and his family are settled in the Midlands, with his wife Amanda running businesses in England. There are doubts from observers if there is a market for Martinez outside of Saudi Arabia, which may not stoke his desire to win big trophies, especially with the level of fee Villa will ask for.
Regardless of Martinez’s future, a goalkeeper is likely to arrive, with his long-time deputy Robin Olsen expected to leave at his contract expiration. The other first-team player whose deal expires is defender Kortney Hause, who has not played for Villa since January 2022, will depart and is targeting a return with an EFL club.
There is a decision to be made at left-back. Ian Maatsen is keen to be Emery’s first-choice starter next season and has lately received encouragement he will be, having been selected more often in the starting XI.
This has been at the expense of Lucas Digne, who has enjoyed a productive campaign even if his form has tailed off. The left-back is in the top 10 Premier League players for chances created, with his consistency and professionalism valued by Emery.
However, Digne is entering the final 12 months of his contract, with the players’ camp fielding enquiries from elsewhere. Villa are holding off on talks until the end of the season.
Digne is valued by Emery but is a high earner (ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
-Tyrone Mings is entering the final year of his deal too. The 32-year-old is keen to continue his playing career at Villa, with discussions scheduled for the summer. This is expected to indicate what Villa’s intentions are, be it a new contract, continue into his final year or look to sell the defender.
A long-term contract is on the table for Boubacar Kamara. Other clubs have contacted the players’ representatives, asking to be kept informed on discussions but Kamara wants to stay in the Premier League and talks are progressing.
He is a huge admirer of Emery and is widely regarded by multiple sources as Villa’s best player when available. The midfielder is of Champions League calibre and believes he can play in the competition every year. Top-five qualification may provide a boost in getting an extension over the line.
Villa are well-stocked in midfield, with record signing Amadou Onana expected to play a bigger role next season. Villa signed Enzo Barrenechea from Juventus last summer but has spent the campaign on loan at Valencia, where he has impressed.
Despite this, there is an acknowledgement internally that he has to show he is at the level to compete for a place in the most competitive position in Villa’s squad. The 23-year-old has admirers from elsewhere, including Valencia, with his successful loan ensuring Villa would make a profit on the €11m paid last year.
Regarding incomings, Villa are leading in efforts to sign highly-rated Sverre Nypan from Rosenborg. Recruitment staff have made trips to Norway to monitor Nypan, with lots of work going into convincing the player — who can count Arsenal and Girona as admirers — of Villa’s project. Presentations have been shown to him and the family, outlining plans to integrate him into Emery’s setup. There is a confidence that he will join.
Nypan is being chased by clubs across Europe (OLE MARTIN WOLD/NTB/AFP via Getty Images)
Villa are aiming to strengthen at right-sided centre-back and potentially at right-back. Chelsea loanee Axel Disasi is unlikely to sign permanently, having been left out of the matchday squad against Fulham last week. Valencia’s 20-year-old centre-back Cristhian Mosquera would fit the profile of central defender.
Decisions will be made on other loanees Asensio and Rashford, with Villa aware of each player’s salary demands and what it would cost to sign them permanently.
A striker is on the agenda following Duran’s departure in January and in light of Watkins’ uncertain future and Rashford’s loan expiring. In January, Nice’s Evann Guessand, 23, was referenced by multiple close observers, although a more proven forward is needed.
Villa are short in wide areas too. Like most other Premier League sides, Villa have watched Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, but this is as far as interest has gone.
Other business will be dependent on outgoings. Winger Leon Bailey has long-standing interest from Saudi Arabia, dating back to around the time Villa sold Moussa Diaby to Al Ittihad last summer. Struggling for form and confidence, Bailey’s creative numbers have fallen sharply, scoring just twice in 37 appearances and being left out of recent squads. Manchester United and others held preliminary talks in January and Bailey wants to play regularly. This summer is an ideal time to part ways.
Morgan Rogers is Villa’s most valuable asset. His rise has been exceptional since signing from Middlesbrough, establishing himself among Emery’s most important players. Chelsea have notified their interest and are not the only Premier League side in this regard; yet it would take a sizeable fee and other factors for his exit to be considered.
Dibling will be much sought after (Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Jacob Ramsey has long-standing interest from Tottenham Hotspur and, as an academy graduate, would represent pure bookable profit. Emery remains a keen advocate of Ramsey’s and what he can provide when fit and in form.
Villa will recoup money on fringe players. Emiliano Buendia and Leander Dendoncker are on loan at Bayer Leverkusen and Anderlecht respectively and can leave. Both teams have the option of making their loans permanent.
Kaine Kesler-Hayden won Preston North End’s player of the year following an excellent loan and now is the right time for the academy graduate to seek a permanent move. The next step for the full-back is to join a high-end Championship side or lower-end Premier League team. Left-back Alex Moreno has fallen down the pecking order on loan at Nottingham Forest, with Villa open to offers.
A busy summer lies ahead.
(Top photo: Martinez and Watkins could leave this summer. Getty Images)
