Fans can hardly believe that Aston Villa is now a Champions League club. They eagerly await the day the famous anthem will ring out at Villa Park. It’s a moment they’re looking forward to and know will be special. As the season goes on, they’re excited for more unforgettable nights at B6, on the road, and in Europe.
The numerous challenges and injury setbacks, including three severe ACL injuries, only made Emery and his team’s achievements more remarkable. Emery lives by the motto “Better today than yesterday and better tomorrow than today,” so Villa fans can be confident that he and his players are not dwelling on past successes but are focused on what lies ahead.
Villa starts their new season at West Ham’s London Stadium on Saturday, August 17. A week later, they’ll host Arsenal at Villa Park, just five days before finding out their Champions League opponents on August 29.
Villa have been among the most active Premier League clubs this summer. Transfer chiefs Monchi and Damian Vidagany have skillfully navigated a challenging situation. To stay compliant with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), Villa needed to raise funds before the end of June, which required the sale of a key player.
Douglas Luiz was sold to Juventus for £42m, a necessary move as Villa planned for his departure 18 months in advance to ensure they could balance their finances this summer. While the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) have put pressure on many top-flight clubs, Villa’s strategic planning and savvy deals have allowed them to bring in three excellent players for just £13m more than they received for Luiz.
Monchi and Vidagany assessed the squad to identify which players were essential and which could be sold, considering contract lengths and player ages. Villa’s recruitment team was thrilled to sign Youri Tielemans on a free transfer last summer after he left Leicester City when his contract expired. This followed their successful acquisition of Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer in the summer of 2022.
Tielemans and Kamara are valued at around £100m combined, reflecting their quality and, in Tielemans’ case, his experience in European and international football with Belgium. Similarly, Villa’s signing of Ross Barkley from Luton Town for just £5m brought in a seasoned top-level player. However, Emery was also looking for a different type of midfielder to strengthen the squad for the new season.
Villa’s Bold Moves: Onana, Philogene, and the Challenges Ahead
Villa made a bold statement to their rivals with Amadou Onana’s arrival from Everton for £50m. Even though they had to let go of key player Douglas Luiz, they secured one of Europe’s most sought-after young midfielders. Additionally, Enzo Barrenechea will have the chance to grow under Emery after joining Villa along with Samuel Iling-Junior from Juventus in a separate deal.
Jaden Philogene’s return to Villa Park was unexpected. Still, Moussa Diaby’s departure allowed the winger to return to Bodymoor Heath ten months after moving to Hull City. Villa effectively paid £13m for him, having matched Ipswich Town’s £18m offer while retaining a 30 percent sell-on clause.
Philogene had an outstanding season with Hull City. Still, Villa needs to replace the 28-goal contributions Luiz and Diaby made in the Premier League last season. This will be one of Emery’s significant challenges early in the new campaign.
The squad changes might be a worry for the new season, as Emery’s starting lineup will be different, and the new players might need time to adjust. However, Villa is well-placed to handle these changes. They have a top manager, and there’s a good chance the new signings will adapt quickly.
Barkley and Philogene are familiar with the club and will quickly settle into the team. Barkley has previous experience with players like Tyrone Mings, Emi Martinez, Ezri Konsa, Matty Cash, Ollie Watkins, and John McGinn from his loan spell in the 2020/21 season. Philogene left the club less than a year ago. Onana, with two years of Premier League experience, speaks five languages, including fluent English, which will help him integrate smoothly.
Iling-Junior has recently played with Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Philogene in the England U21s. He arrives at the club alongside his former Juventus teammate Barrenechea. Barrenechea will join a dressing room that includes fellow Argentinians Emi Martinez and Emi Buendia and other Spanish speakers. Emery and his staff have been speaking with Barrenechea in his native language during training at Bodymoor Heath.
Fitting in with the team is one thing, but understanding Emery’s tactics is another. Tielemans didn’t start a game until November last season, despite coming on as a substitute in the first 11 matches. When he finally started against Fulham, he performed his best in a Villa shirt. Emery only started him when he was confident Tielemans was ready.
Tielemans gradually settled into the team and showed he was the top player we had seen excel at Leicester in the past. Emery has a strong history of refining talented players and revitalizing careers. Last season, Leon Bailey and Morgan Rogers found their best form. They will be crucial to Villa’s ambitions of making a deep run in the Champions League and competing at the top of the Premier League.
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