It’s shaping up to be a pivotal summer for Aston Villa as the club looks to strengthen ahead of another demanding season under Unai Emery. After securing Europa League qualification, attention now turns to the transfer market, where Villa aim to add depth and quality to compete on multiple fronts.
00:00It's shaping up to be a pivotal summer for Aston Villa as the club looks to strengthen ahead of another demanding season under Unai Emery.
00:11After securing Europa League qualification, attention now turns to the transfer market, where the Villa aim to add depth and quality to compete on multiple fronts.
00:24Recruitment will be key with a tight-knit core already in place, Villa are targeting smart additions.
00:30Players who can raise the ceiling without disrupting the chemistry that Emery has built.
00:35Balancing ambition with sustainability will be crucial, particularly with financial regulations in mind.
00:41The club may need to offload fringe players to create space, but the focus remains on strategic upgrades rather than a complete overhaul.
00:50We spoke to Charlie Haffenden of Birmingham World to get his insight into Villa's summer strategy, the key targets on the radar and the kind of squad Emery wants to assemble as Villa prepare to remain competitive in the seasons to come.
01:05Yeah, let's just look ahead to the summer plans.
01:10Obviously, you know, we've mentioned a number of times the core in terms of, you know, these players who've developed under Unai Emery is so important to keep hold of.
01:19You know, the likes of Morgan Rodgers, they're going to be attracting attention.
01:22You know, that's just the way it works.
01:23If they actually have a great season for a club that maybe isn't quite at the very elite level yet, then those elite teams do come knocking.
01:30And, you know, in terms of the summer, how important is it that they keep players as much as adding a few more top-class additions, if they can, obviously, with the financial restrictions?
01:39It is very important. Morgan Rodgers, as the man you mentioned, it's been emerging that Chelsea are interested.
01:47But I think Chelsea are interested in most players that perform well for other Premier League clubs.
01:51It just happens every single season, doesn't it?
01:53Myself as a Brighton fan, it's happened with us and Chelsea in the past.
01:57It doesn't necessarily mean they're going to go and sign Morgan Rodgers.
02:00And what's to say that Rodgers would want to make that move anyway?
02:03He's from the West Midlands. He's near his family.
02:05He grew up around here and he's loving his life at Villa, being a key player under Unai Emery.
02:10And it's more of a system player as well, Rodgers.
02:13Would he fit into the Chelsea system as well as he would Villa?
02:16I'm not too sure.
02:17But it's not just him. It's the likes of Uri Tielemans as well.
02:20Oli Watkins up front.
02:22Can we maybe see Watkins leave this summer?
02:24Is his time up at Villa?
02:25His form this season hasn't quite been as it was.
02:28Marcus Rashford at times, before his injury, took over in that striking position.
02:31There's talks of Emi Martinez potentially going to Saudi Arabia.
02:36Leon Bailey could also go to Saudi Arabia or Man United or Tottenham.
02:40There's a lot of talk of outgoings and not much for incomings at the moment.
02:44I think it's right that it's important that they get those decisions right as to who leaves.
02:48It's pretty common knowledge at this point that they're warning to be a sale or two to try and make a bigger transfer kitty for Unai Emery to dig into.
02:57It's going to be a difficult one, I think, this summer for Villa because it feels unfair, doesn't it,
03:02that a team that's on the periphery of the Champions League, just about getting into it, like a Newcastle, for example,
03:08they're forced to make these big sales.
03:10Yet you've got Man City, who are spending a ridiculous amount every summer.
03:13Chelsea, Man United, they find ways to do it.
03:16Some sort of rule change needs to happen at some point soon because it's just not fair.
03:20But the reality is, Villa, they're willing to make sales before they can even think about making new signings.
03:25And just on Aston Villa, in terms of, you know, we're at the stage where the Premier League team this season,
03:32that sort of, we look at that and is there any sort of Villa players who could maybe realistically get in that
03:37or should be put forward from what you've seen this season?
03:39There's been some incredible, you know, performances individually across the entire campaign.
03:45I'd love to see someone like an Esri Conzer get in the team,
03:48but I just can't see it when you've got lots of Virgil van Dijk stepping up and Murillo at Forest,
03:52it's Malenkovich at Forest, it's not quite going to be there.
03:55But Uri Tielemans, I think, has a shot of getting in the team.
03:58Been so, so consistent, playing every three or four days, no matter the competition.
04:03So we're talking about Premier League here, but in a division, he's been incredible.
04:07Recently, he's upped his output for goals and assists as well.
04:10I think in terms of the recency bias, he's in top form.
04:13I think fans elsewhere in the Premier League are starting to realise just how good he is.
04:17So I'd like to see Tielemans in there and I think he's got a fair shot bag.
04:21But I think if you look at it on the whole and where Villa were a few seasons ago,
04:25they've taken another step this year, signing the likes of Asensio, Rashford.
04:29That wouldn't have been possible at that point in time
04:32and probably not even at the start of this season.
04:34The financial side, it's still a bit of a worry with PSR.
04:37They need to sort that out, maybe make a couple of sales this summer.
04:40But yeah, the reputation of the football club is certainly on the rise again.
