“Financial fair play?” said Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, repeating part of a question posed to him in Friday’s press conference. “I don’t understand a lot. I am asking, asking Damian (Vidagany, the director of football). But I accept it.”
Every machination, decision and action of Villa’s summer window centred on staving off profit and sustainability rules (PSR) breaches. Speak to those in charge of safeguarding Villa against the threat of such sanctions and they will explain how close the club were to facing possible points deductions.
This meant Villa had two deadlines this summer: pre-June 30, which was the end of the previous PSR accounting period, and August 30, officially the final day of the transfer window. Villa staff worked tirelessly to shapeshift and navigate the complexities and contradictions of PSR, having to sell homegrown talent for pure bookable profit while adhering to European football governing body UEFA’s rules of having ‘club-trained’ players.
It is little wonder that only after Villa’s third game of the new league season, a 2-1 away win against promoted Leicester City, on Saturday and heading into its first international break for the next two weeks, were Vidagany and Monchi, their president of football operations, going to be afforded the chance to take their summer holidays.
Injuries have plagued Villa in the past 12 months and with Matty Cash now out for a month, Jaden Philogene also missing against Leicester, and Leon Bailey substituted with a hamstring issue early in that game, their squad depth is already being relied on. Cash was replaced in the starting XI by Lamare Bogarde, a 20-year-old who spent last year out on loan in English football’s third tier but has impressed Emery with his tactical intelligence and ability to learn multiple roles.
With three games gone, Villa have won two and lost one in the 2024-25 Premier League, but fully gauging their summer transfer business was not possible until now. Here’s how it went…
Was this window a success or a failure?
Senior figures at Villa regarded this summer as the most challenging window of their careers. Yet, ultimately, they see it as successful, largely because the way that the squad was built placated manager Emery. Pertinently, among Villa’s chief intentions was to lower the group’s average age while adding greater depth.
There is disquiet about how PSR is enforced, with Villa believing they are at risk of being restricted from challenging the established domestic ‘Big Six’ long-term, due to the financial limitations placed on them. From their standpoint, PSR puts the club at a disadvantage because their revenue is far inferior to not only the Premier League’s elite but also teams such as West Ham United, who have larger attendances at a stadium that holds 20,000 more fans than Villa Park. As a consequence, Villa’s sharp trajectory on the pitch cannot be mirrored by spending the fruits of their labour off it.
Regardless, Emery insisted he was “very happy” with the business done, recruiting a combination of low-cost players such as Ross Barkley — who he personally pushed for — and deluxe talents such as midfielder Amadou Onana, who fielded interest from some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs but was convinced by Villa’s manager to join them instead.
Emery convinced Onana, right, to join Villa this summer (Darren Staples/AFP/Getty Images)
Villa took a long-term approach to Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior, who were signed before being loaned back out. Both are regarded as assets, either in the squad or in terms of selling them further down the line.
Barrenechea, who has joined Spanish side Valencia, was close to staying and was felt to be near the requisite level to compete in Emery’s first team. This led to Villa delaying negotiations while they were in two minds. The hope is the 23-year-old defensive midfielder plays a significant number of games in La Liga and will return to his parent club next summer as an improved and serious talent.
Competition is rife down the left flank at Villa and Iling-Junior needed minutes. The 20-year-old forward either hits the ground running next year or, if he does well on loan at Bologna of Serie A, can be moved on for a profit.
How much did they spend and how much did they bring in?
By July 24, Villa had spent more money this summer than any other club in Europe (around £150million), enabled by player sales and accessing Champions League riches via last season’s fourth-place finish. This was in part influenced by the need to be proactive to guard against PSR, and get a large chunk of their business done before the end of June.
This coincided with the £42.3million sale of Douglas Luiz to Italy’s Juventus, while Barrenechea and Iling-Junior, in a separate transaction, moved in the opposite direction from the Turin side for £18.6m combined. Cash reserves were then boosted by Omari Kellyman going to Chelsea — another PSR-related decision — and Moussa Diaby joining Al Ittihad of the Saudi Premier League for £50.6m.
Overall, Villa spent around £150million and recouped between £100m and £110m, with Cameron Archer’s move to Southampton worth £15m plus potential add-ons.
Teenager Kellyman’s departure cut the deepest as Villa did not want to lose such a precocious youngster, but they had little alternative.
Who seems like the standout signing?
Onana. Of all Villa’s incomings, he was the player signed for the here and now; to come straight into the team immediately, replacing Douglas Luiz and, as his Premier League debut for the club last month against West Ham demonstrated, fit seamlessly into Emery’s system.
The 23-year-old Belgium international’s fist-pumping celebrations after wins are becoming increasingly familiar to supporters and indicative of the goodwill he has swiftly built up. Onana, having scored his second goal of the season, was the last player off the pitch at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, serenaded by the travelling support and wearing a wide grin.
Onana wants to inherit the level of responsibility and leadership Emery looks for in midfielders. It is early days, but his presence, figuratively and literally, is proving influential. He has scope to improve Villa and compensate for the loss of Brazil international Douglas Luiz and can, crucially, serve as both the deepest-lying midfielder and a partner to Boubacar Kamara, as the latter nears a return from long-term injury, but it will not always be straightforward.
Who could be the surprise package?
Philogene.
Four of their eight signings — if you include Archer, who was obligated to rejoin Villa this summer a year after leaving following Sheffield United’s relegation to the Championship — have left again, mostly on loan. So, in truth, it is only Onana, Barkley, Philogene and Ian Maatsen who are immediate potential starters, limiting the options for a surprise package. In any case, Philogene came through Villa’s ranks before moving to Hull City last season, so is less of a surprise package and more a source of intrigue as to how he returns after playing 32 games, and scoring 12 goals, in the second tier.
Philogene is one of Villa’s few out-and-out wingers, which should, in theory, provide directness and pace on the flanks. Bearing in mind Villa’s congested schedule, his sharpness may become incrementally prominent as the season wears on.
Philogene, middle, could become more important later in the season (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Will any of the exits hurt Villa?
Douglas Luiz will be the biggest miss. He fulfilled Emery’s wide-ranging remit and was among Villa’s leaders, while his goal contributions were improving every season, helped by an impressive penalty record, and he was their chief set-piece taker. He had the quality to unpick the lock against deep-sitting defences and the deftness of pass for balls over the top.
The 18-cap Brazil midfielder was accomplished, especially alongside the defensive anchor of Kamara, and was Emery’s best performer in the early part of last season. However, his decline in Kamara’s absence from February on was concerning and it was felt he needed a fresh start.
Are there still any obvious gaps in the team, and what are they planning for January?
Villa are light in defence but still tight on PSR restrictions. Cash has had increasing injury issues and Kosta Nedeljkovic, 18, and Bogarde are his deputies at right-back. With Emery rewiring Villa’s build-up shape to play with two archetypal full-backs and preferring not to parachute Ezri Konsa in there, the position may require further strengthening in January.
There are unknowns as to how Tyrone Mings will return following the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury suffered in the first game of last season, which could determine whether Villa sign a centre-back. Presently, they have Pau Torres and Konsa, with Diego Carlos — who the club wanted to sell this summer — and Mings as other senior options. A lack of defenders meant highly-rated youngster Sil Swinkels stayed at the club, despite interest in the last 48 hours of the window. The Dutch-born 20-year-old is left-footed and seen as a stylistic backup to Torres.
Some might argue Villa have not replaced Diaby, despite the return to full fitness for Jacob Ramsey and an emerging Morgan Rogers playing in that position. Joao Felix naturally fitted the bill, but arranging a requisite financial package to sign him from Atletico Madrid was protracted and he’s ended up at Chelsea. Adding another forward will reduce the pressure on Ollie Watkins to stay fit and in form.
Newcomer Maatsen came on as a sub in Saturday’s win against Leicester (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
What is their strongest XI now the window is shut?
Emiliano Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Onana; Bailey, John McGinn, Rogers; Watkins.
The full list of ins and outs
INS
Ross Barkley (£5m) — Luton Town
Ian Maatsen (£37.5m) — Chelsea
Cameron Archer (undisclosed) — Sheffield United
Lewis Dobbin (£10m) — Everton
Samuel Iling-Junior (£9.25m) — Juventus
Enzo Barrenechea (£9.25m) — Juventus
Amadou Onana (£50m) — Everton
Jaden Philogene (£18m) — Hull City
OUTS
Morgan Sansom (nominal) — Nice
Douglas Luiz (£42.5m) — Juventus
Tim Iroegbunam (£9m) — Everton
Calum Chambers (free) — Cardiff City
Philippe Coutinho (loan) — Vasco da Gama
Moussa Diaby (£50.6m) — Al Ittihad
Dobbin (loan) — West Bromwich Albion
Viljami Sinisalo (£2m) — Celtic
Filip Marschall (loan) — Crewe Alexandra
Kaine Kesler-Hayden (loan) — Preston North End
Lino Sousa (loan) — Bristol Rovers
Archer (£15m+2m in add-ons) — Southampton
Alex Moreno (loan) — Nottingham Forest
Iling-Junior (loan) — Bologna
Barrenechea (loan) — Valencia
GO DEEPER
Villa’s cohort of runners bait opponents into pressing high. This is how they do it
(Top photos: Getty Images)
