Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has discussed the club’s transfer progress this month, and has revealed that we’re close to signing Donyell Malen, while Jaden Philogene is expected to leave.
Speculation has been rife since the January transfer window opened for business, with Villa paired with incomings and outgoings as we look to strengthen Emery’s squad and become increasingly competitive.
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For many, there are clear areas of the current squad in which we must still improve, and refreshingly, the profile of players we are being linked to will hopefully address those concerns both in the short-term and long-term future.
While Emery’s main priority is our trip to Everton in midweek, he was asked about any transfer dealings the club are currently looking at, and while he confirmed that the plan is to perhaps sign two or three players and balance that with exits, he specifically referred to Malen and Philogene as two pieces of business that are expected to go through.
“The most important is that we’re playing tomorrow, Everton, but of course, we are in the January transfer window, and we are trying to do some movement,” he told reporters, as per VillaTV. “We are alert, and we want always to be ready to improve our squad with the players and of course sometimes as well, some players [are] wanting to leave for different circumstances.
“One of those movements is the possibility to sign Malen. In case Malen signs for us, it is close, we have to leave one player, which is Jaden [Philogene]. We are moving forward with some circumstances like I am telling you from today until the last day of the window.
“If we are changing one player, Malen and Jaden, that’s the first. Maybe two or three players more, we can do another deal of some players leaving and some players joining us.”
If Villa do indeed go on to officially announce the signing of Malen and exit of Philogene, that will be seen by many as a significant upgrade in that department to add an important new dynamic to our attacking options.
While the Dutchman isn’t having his best season this year, he’s shown enough in his spells at PSV Eindhoven and Borussia Dortmund to suggest that there is a real talent there waiting to be fully unlocked, and given Emery’s track record of improving players since he arrived at Villa, there’s confidence that he can do that with Malen too.
As for Philogene, it unfortunately hasn’t worked out as hoped since he was re-signed last summer, and a departure seems to be the best option for all concerned as we look to improve our attacking options, while he’ll get a better chance of a more prominent role elsewhere.
With Emery suggesting that there could be ‘two or three players more’, it promises to be an exciting month for Villa, and more importantly, hopefully a very productive one when it comes to improving and strengthening the group.
