Aston Villa’s President of Football Operations, Monchi, has provided fascinating insight and analysis into our transfer strategy this summer, while delivering a clear message on Jacob Ramsey’s future.
It’s been a busy summer for Villa in the transfer market, having made several signings while also approving some big-money outgoings to continue to balance our books while trying to strengthen Unai Emery’s squad.
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What was clear towards the back-end of last season, particularly with our injury troubles, was that a gruelling campaign began to take its toll on the players as we didn’t have enough quality depth to rotate and keep everyone fresh while continuing to compete on multiple fronts.
Admittedly, we’ve lost some key individuals this summer, but ultimately the hope is that we’ve got a more robust group of players that can execute Emery’s structure, style of play and game-plans more effectively and consistently, regardless of personnel.
That was seemingly at the heart of our strategy this summer when bringing in the new players we did, with Monchi going on to provide really interesting detail into why the likes of Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley emerged as priority targets to address key needs, in a brilliant interview with The Telegraph that is well worth a read in its entirety in the link below.
“We were very clear where we wanted to work in the squad. In our opinion, and Unai is the one who decides, we needed to increase the level of the squad in three points: Physical, first. A younger squad, and to have a more complete squad, so Unai can have more options,” he told The Telegraph. “Unai needs to have the option to maybe choose two different starting XIs, but with the same level. This objective, in my head, is an obsession, to build a squad with a similar level in the different profiles and positions. It’s very difficult.
“For this moment, for the midfield, Unai wanted a physical player that plays well with the ball. We worked in this direction with many names and in the end we signed Onana. He’s a top player, he played in England, his adaptation is easier. But it’s true we work with a big file.
“With Ross, it was a personal decision from Unai. Together with me, but Unai wanted him 100 per cent because he knows him after playing against Luton twice. Unai wanted this profile. A player who is physically good, technical, plays well and can fight. And with experience because we need to play in the Champions League and we need to have some mature players.
“With Jaden, it’s an interesting story. When he left the club last season, maybe not every day, but every week, Unai would say to me ‘Monchi, maybe we’ve made a mistake to sell Jaden’. Because he played very well for Hull and every week, it was ‘Monchi..’ I would say ‘OK, Unai, but we have the possibility to bring him back’. When we had the possibility, we didn’t have any doubts and we fought to sign him. We are very happy because he’s a top player and he’s homegrown, he’s an academy player for the Champions League. An interesting profile for many situations.
“If we wanted to sell Jacob Ramsey, we would have sold him already because we had different offers from different clubs. But Unai has big confidence in him and I think that Jacob can continue to improve his level. Last season was difficult for him because of three injuries, but Unai thinks that with Jacob, Aston Villa is the best thing. He’s convinced 100 per cent that Jacob’s level will increase this season.”
As with everything that they’ve done since they were appointed, Emery, Monchi and the rest of the staff working with them have been meticulous in their decision-making, with the sole aim of continuing to improve and strengthen us as a club, on and off the pitch.
Naturally, results in the coming weeks and months will dictate just how successful their choices are, but it’s absolutely fundamental that we have a clear strategy and vision, and we have a group of professionals within our hierarchy on the same page and working towards that same goal.
It’s hoped that we have now brought in the necessary profile of players in our reinforcements to build and improve on last season, as our new signings will hopefully help evolve our way of playing to better suit what Emery is demanding, with the view of being effective not only in the Premier League and domestic cups, but also in Europe as we make our return to the Champions League.
Further, the expectation is that we’re not yet done in this transfer window with more outgoings and incomings expected, and so it’s hoped that we’ll be as prepared as possible, within the current rules system and limitations, to be as competitive as we can possibly be at this stage.
