While the more immediate focus for Aston Villa is what happens on the pitch, it’s suggested that we could have a very busy summer ahead with many important decisions to be made.
Villa remain in the hunt for a top-five finish in the Premier League with just three games to go in the campaign, and our ability to qualify for the Champions League in consecutive seasons could have a major influence on our future transfer strategy.
READ MORE: Villa face possible contract decision as loanee linked with fresh exit
Not only could it impact the calibre of players we’re able to sign to improve Unai Emery’s squad, but it could also be a critical factor for some of the individuals in the current squad to convince them to remain, and ultimately be in a financial position to keep them if we want to as PSR will also come into play in our decision-making process.
In turn, few will be thinking beyond the next few weeks at this stage, but President of Football Operations, Monchi, and the rest of his staff will certainly have to give it some consideration as must plan out our upcoming strategy with various outcomes in mind.
Having sold key players in the last two transfer windows, most notably Douglas Luiz, Moussa Diaby and Jhon Duran for big money, there are question marks over certain individuals once again, while combined with expiring contracts and having to manage a sustainable wage bill, it could lead to some difficult decisions later this month and through the summer.
According to The Athletic, Ollie Watkins’ future will be reassessed at the end of the season as he has previously been linked with an exit, while he hasn’t been left best pleased with being left out of the team for crunch encounters over the past month as loanee Marcus Rashford has been preferred.
Should an exit materialise, Villa will have a glaring void to fill up front, and so our ability to identify and sign an adequate replacement will be a pivotal factor, while Watkins has been such an important piece in the puzzle for Emery since he arrived that it would be a huge blow regardless if he were to move on.
Further, doubts are touted over Emiliano Martinez too amid talk of interest from Saudi Arabia, and so it remains to be seen if that’s a transfer that Villa are willing to accommodate in order to raise significant funds. A reshuffle is expected in the goalkeeper department this summer with Robin Olsen’s contract set to expire, but time will tell if a potential target like Joan Garcia is signed, and whether that’s with the idea of replacing Martinez.
Albeit he’s had a dip in form this season is some crucial games, the Argentine shot-stopper remains one of the best in his position and is such a vital presence in the current group, and so that will need serious consideration before we give any deal the green light.
Meanwhile, both Lucas Digne and Tyrone Mings are heading towards the final 12 months of their respective deals with Villa, and so a decision will need to be taken on both defenders this summer with talks said to be planned once the season ends. If no new deal is set to be offered and we wish to sell, it’s best to do that sooner rather than later to retain their value and receive a decent fee in return.
With Ian Maatsen pushing Digne to be our first-choice left-back and the signing of talented youngster Yasin Ozcan in mind to potentially replace Mings in the long run, time will tell if Villa are willing to let them leave in order to get younger and bring our wage bill down.
It seems a little more clear cut in Leon Bailey’s situation as it’s reported that a parting of ways could be the possible outcome this summer, as although he flourished under Emery just last season, the Jamaican winger has struggled significantly this year to find consistency and form with his injury troubles and lack of quality in the final third.
Should a suitable offer arrive, it would be no surprise if Villa accept and use those funds to go towards trying to sign an upgrade in that role.
In contrast, although there is suggested interest in both Morgan Rogers and Jacob Ramsey, it sounds as though the pair have important roles to play for Emery moving forward and so it would take something significant to convince us to sell, and it’s certainly hoped it stays that way as the attacking duo have big futures ahead of them still, and ideally they’ll realise their full potential in a Villa shirt.
With many other important decisions to be made, time will tell whether or not Villa look to maintain and build around our current core, or if there are big shifts in the way the squad is constructed this summer to give Emery as competitive a group as possible.
