After a busy January transfer window, Aston Villa will hope that all five of our new signings will prove to be savvy additions to Unai Emery’s squad.
Donyell Malen, Andres Garcia, Marcus Rashford and Axel Disasi will all have crucial roles to play, but Marco Asensio could prove to be the most astute acquisition.
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Villa opted to allow Emiliano Buendia to leave on loan as he joined Bayer Leverkusen for the remainder of the campaign, and although the Argentine playmaker had played a limited role prior to that, we still lost a key dynamic that gives us a different option and solution in the final third.
With his creative flair and technical ability, Asensio will provide a balance and something different in attacking areas, which will hopefully complement the pace, power and goalscoring threat provided by Rashford, Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey, Malen and Leon Bailey.
The classy Spaniard will likely be more of the Youri Tielemans mould with his ability to spot a clever pass to exploit spaces and unlock a stubborn defence, and with Villa struggling against sides wanting to sit deeper and crowd the middle of the pitch with numbers, he’ll hopefully prove to be an important presence either in the starting XI or on the bench to change games.
Our defeat at Wolves was a timely reminder of our weakness in that department, as for all the pace and movement that our frontline possesses, if there’s no space to run into in behind, it does frustrate us and at times, we look like we’ve run out of ideas.
Further, as we look to compete across multiple fronts in the next few months, if we can continue to advance in the Champions League and FA Cup, we’re going to need competition and depth, as the likes of Rogers and Ramsey will struggle with such a heavy workload over a prolonged period.
Given it’s just a straight loan until the end of the season, Asensio will want to make the next four months count whether it results in a permanent move to Villa or not, and it’s hoped his adaptation and integration process is a speedy one to ensure he emerges as a useful option immediately.
With his experience of winning cultures and mentality having enjoyed a glittering career to this point with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, the younger players in the squad should also make the most of his presence in the squad and learn from him, as he’ll undoubtedly have valuable knowledge to pass on.
While the 29-year-old doesn’t come across as the archetypal leader in the dressing room, he is ultimately a senior player in the group, and coupled with his quality on the pitch, it’s hoped this temporary spell is an important one to help us continue to develop and evolve into a team capable of consistently competing at the top.