Aston Villa are reportedly open to considering exits for Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne and Leander Dendoncker this summer as our business perhaps isn’t yet finished.
Unai Emery has strengthened his squad with the signings of Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby, while Morgan Sanson, Marvelous Nakamba, Ashley Young, Wesley, Viljami Sinisalo and Jed Steer have all departed through a combination of releases, loans and permanent exits.
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Having moved early for our priority targets to bolster key areas of the group, there was a balance to the side through pre-season as we impressed throughout the schedule and seemingly now have fresh tactical solutions for Emery to allow him to be more flexible and versatile.
However, question marks have remained over a few individuals still involved in terms of their long-term futures this season and beyond, and it’s now reported that we’re still open to approving exits.
According to The Daily Mail, Villa will consider approaches for Coutinho, Digne and Dendoncker, and perhaps others, but given their importance in adding competition and depth in their respective positions, we surely won’t be agreeing to transfers before we’ve identified viable replacements to fill those voids and hopefully improve at the same time.
Dendoncker hasn’t been involved at all through pre-season, as although he missed our pre-season tour of the USA following the birth of his new baby, he still didn’t feature against Lazio or Valencia in our final two outings.
In turn, that perhaps does raise question marks over his involvement moving forward, as Emery may well prefer to bring in an option better suited to his ideas, despite the Belgian international playing an important role when involved last season.
As for Coutinho, the Brazilian playmaker struggled with injuries last season, missing the last 15 games of the Premier League campaign, thus denying Emery the opportunity to assess how he would fit into his system and style of play.
While he’s had that chance in pre-season, albeit in limited minutes for the most part, time will tell if he’s done enough to convince the Villa boss that he can be an important option for him.
The Digne suggestion is arguably the most questionable, as the Frenchman has featured heavily this summer, particularly with Alex Moreno out injured, and with a lack of experienced competition behind them, that surely isn’t a departure that Emery will want right now.
If a replacement is already being lined up, then perhaps that changes the thinking, but on the eve of the new season starting, it’s interesting to hear that we’re still open to significant exits. That in turn would suggest that we’re set for a busy end to the transfer window, as we simply can’t leave ourselves short ahead of what will be gruelling campaign if we advance as far as we want to in the cup competitions to coincide with improvement in the league.
Can see the following leaving: Coutinho, Digne, Dendonker, Archer (apparently), A Ramsey (almost done), Traore, Davis, Hause. Outsiders: Chambers (too versatile to let go?), Bailey.
The first lot could raise ~75m. That plus the ~75m still unspent from the rumoured ~150m summer kitty, could get us: LB, RB, DM, Wide AM, #10/striker.