Aston Villa’s form in the Premier League may have been mixed over the last few months, but Unai Emery will still be confident of leading the club to another top-four finish.
Progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League is all but guaranteed, while the Villa Park side are due to kick off their FA Cup campaign against West Ham this week. Add in the league matches, and Emery’s squad will be fully tested over the next few weeks.
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Aston Villa’s previous five January signings |
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|---|---|
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Player |
Club signed from |
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Morgan Rogers |
Middlesbrough |
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Kosta Nedeljkovic |
Red Star Belgrade |
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Joe Gauci |
Adelaide United |
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Lino Sousa |
Arsenal |
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Jhon Duran |
Chicago Fire |
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Via Transfermarkt |
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As such, the January transfer window could see plenty of arrivals and departures as the Spaniard looks to enhance his team while shipping out some of the deadwood.
Potential Aston Villa incomings
Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund)
With just Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins as his two senior centre-forwards, Emery could have a big problem heading into the second half of the season if one gets injured.
With this in mind, Borussia Dortmund striker Donyell Malen has emerged as a key target, with Villa even recently submitting an offer for the player.
According to German outlet BILD, Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl isn’t budging from their €25-30m (£21-25m) valuation of the former Arsenal academy gem, with Villa reportedly offering €18m (£15m).
The report states that an improved offer could be made, as the manager is keen to lure Malen to Birmingham with a salary of around £7m per year.
Nicolas Kuhn (Celtic)
Another area in which Emery looks keen to strengthen is out wide, specifically on the right flank. Leon Bailey hasn’t replicated the form of last term, managing to register just four goal contributions across all competitions this season.
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Tottenham Hotspur and Villa are eyeing a move for Celtic sensation Nicolas Kuhn this winter, who has been in superb form during the first half of the 2024/25 season.
Indeed, the German has scored 16 goals while recording 11 assists for the Parkhead side, who sit top of the league and on course for a fourth title in a row.
The report states that Celtic could easily treble the money they paid to sign the winger just over 18 months ago, which means an offer of over £10m may well be enough for Emery to land the player.
Antonio Silva (Benfica)
Before the transfer window even opened, it was reported that Villa were keen on bringing in centre-back Antonio Silva to bolster their defensive options.
The 21-year-old is a sought-after talent, with Newcastle United also seemingly keen, while the youngster reportedly has his heart set on a move to Juventus.
Nothing concrete has arrived from the Serie A side, which suggests Emery must make his move now, or he could regret it later.
It is no secret that the Spaniard is keen to add another defender to his squad, especially with Diego Carlos attracting interest, but only time will tell whether Silva is tempted to move to the Midlands.
Carney Chukwuemeka (Chelsea)
Carney Chukwuemeka moved from Villa to Chelsea in August 2022 for a staggering £20m, which represented excellent business by the Midlands side considering he had played just 16 times for the senior team.
However, his spell at Stamford Bridge hasn’t been as productive as many hoped. Since moving to west London, the 21-year-old has featured 32 times for the club across all competitions.
With Enzo Maresca making a few signings during the summer transfer window, he has slipped down the pecking order and Villa are apparently keen on re-signing him this month to add some depth to their midfield.
One thing that might put off Emery is the price tag. Chukwuemeka is available, but only if a club stumps up £40m in the process.
Considering he might not be an automatic choice in the starting XI, this fee is lavish to say the least, and the manager might go elsewhere for better value unless Chelsea want to negotiate.
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Potential Aston Villa departures
Diego Carlos (Fenerbahçe)
When Steven Gerrard signed Diego Carlos in 2022, the Brazilian was expected to become the cornerstone of his side, forging a key partnership with Tyrone Mings at the heart of the Villa defence.
On just his second appearance, he suffered a serious injury which almost kept him out for the entire 2022/23 campaign, before he returned to full fitness and made 38 appearances under Emery in 2023/24.
So far this season, Diego Carlos has made only 14 starts, and it looks as though his time in the Midlands could be coming to an end.
Reportedly, Fenerbahce are keen on signing the centre-back, contacting Villa over a potential move this month.
With Pau Torres injured, Emery may look to bring in another defender before sanctioning any departures, which could put any move to Turkey on the back burner. But if a decent offer arrives, Villa would be foolish to turn it down.
Jaden Philogene (Everton)
Jaden Philogene could once again be on his way out of Villa, just months after re-joining the club.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Everton have opened talks to sign the youngster, who has made just 15 appearances since returning to Villa, failing to establish himself as a regular in the starting XI this term.
Romano states that the Toffees are attempting to make the move a permanent one rather than a loan deal, which could work out well for all parties involved, especially with Emery looking to raise some funds for new arrivals.
Nothing has been mentioned with regard to a potential fee, but considering Villa paid around £18m to lure him back to Villa Park during the summer window, Everton may need to at least match this fee should they wish to sign him.
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