Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has discussed our possible activity in the upcoming January transfer window, with the potential for incomings.
Villa could go top of the Premier League table on Friday night with a win over Sheffield Utd, but regardless of whether or not we achieve that and a 16th consecutive home league win, it has been a hugely impressive first half of the campaign.
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There have been setbacks and disappointments, but ultimately if we can solidify our top-four position over the Christmas and New Year period coupled with qualifying for the knockout stage of the Europa Conference League, it can certainly be considered an excellent start.
That in turn will build the debate over what we should do in January, as it could be an opportunity to really strengthen our aspirations to win or achieve something big this year.
However, the deals of course have to make sense and the analysis of the current squad will be pivotal in determining how we can improve and become a more competitive side.
Emery has echoed those sentiments in his comments below, but has reiterated that the owners are prepared to back him, and he will analyse and decide which potential incomings or outgoings will improve the squad at his disposal, as he ruled neither out.
“They [the club owners] are very ambitious and they are very excited,” Emery told the media, as per VillaTV. “They are enjoying what we are doing. We have to be intelligent and smart.
“We have very good players in the squad and we have to manage some change and try to improve some positions. We are going to be very demanding because it is not easy to change something and improve.
“We have the possibility to do something. The owners are open to signing some players if we are convinced. We are also trying to work out how we can manage some players leaving the squad.
“We are going to analyse each situation with the players we have in the squad and with the players we can maybe get.”
As we saw with the signing of Alex Moreno last January in particular, Emery and the Villa management around him leading recruitment can absolutely get it right. Our summer signings have been integral to our progress thus far too, and so there certainly is confidence that we’ll make the right moves.
That said, if Emery deems it unnecessary to act next month if he’s happy with the balance and depth in the current group, with key individuals to come back still either later this season or next, we undoubtedly won’t sign players for the sake of doing so to make up the numbers.
Ever since his appointment, it has been about being demanding in trying to improve and build his way on and off the pitch. While it sounds as though we’ll be ready to be active if the right situations present themselves, it will be another meticulously thought-out process to ensure we get it right.
