Aston Villa will not think twice to bolster Unai Emery’s team in January if the chance arises, although it’s infamously challenging to do so during the winter transfer window.
Emery says he is working closely with the club’s recruitment team, led by Monchi, president of football operations, and he is aiming to improve competition in every position in his squad. After securing their spot in the Europa Conference League last 16 earlier this month, Emery is aiming for Champions League qualifying and hardware this season. They are wrapping up preparations for the upcoming window and have been in contact with Nassef Sawiris.
Villa has an eight-point lead over the other five teams and can bolster Emery’s team in the January transfer window. They brought in two players in January of last year, one of them, Alex Moreno, helped change how Emery’s team played, and Jhon Duran has improved throughout his first year with the team. Remember that Villa paid a hefty price for the teenager, perhaps reaching £18 million if certain conditions are fulfilled.
In their first European campaign in more than ten years, Villa strengthened their squad depth with the addition of Nicolo Zaniolo and Clement Lenglet. The club also signed Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans, and Moussa Diaby on permanent contracts during the summer transfer window.
Despite heading into the New Year in the top four and with their passage to the Europa Conference League round of 16 secured, it doesn’t mean Villa will loosen their pursestrings in an attempt to sign players whose valuations are already inflated halfway through the season. While Villa do not currently have access to Champions League revenue or have the most lucrative commercial deals compared to the ‘big six’, FFP has to be a consideration in any deal the club completes.
Last summer, Villa had two options; sell a key player for big money or sell several academy graduates for a sizeable amount. Monchi decided to sell Cameron Archer, Aaron Ramsey and Jaden Philogene for a combined £40 million, while the club have a degree of control over their futures with respective buy-back clauses.
V Sports have spent more than £500 million on transfers since the club’s promotion back to the Premier League and are fully committed to backing Emery in the years to come, but the January window is always tricky to navigate.
“Always they are very involved with me, us and Aston Villa,” Emery said of the club’s owners. “They want to enjoy each moment and how they can support us, how we can improve and increase our level.
“Always they are trying to share with us the possibility to add or link players for the next month in the window. In January we are speaking about the possibility but last year was similar, it is not an easy window.”
One position where Villa are light is up front, with Duran the only player available to replace Ollie Watkins or come off the bench in an attempt to change a game. The Colombia international did just that in the club’s match with Crystal Palace earlier this season when Villa turned the game on its head after Duran’s stunning goal in front of the Holte End.
Asked if he is looking to add more competition up front next month, Emery explained: “I am very very happy with Ollie Watkins. When I arrived here one year ago his position was in doubt. A lot of people had doubts about Ollie Watkins.
“He was working, working, working and was very demanding with himself. And now he has ended any doubts about him. So we added one young player, Jhon Duran, but of course he needs time.
“We are trying to support and help him. I speak a lot to him because I know it is not easy to add something to improve on Ollie Watkins. So we are trying to manage the squad but it is very difficult to sign one player who will improve us in these circumstances.
“And it is even more difficult in this transfer window. Last year for example we were thinking about a lot of things in January but the most important thing we did was to reduce the numbers of the squad.
“Then we only added two players, Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran. And we were successful with the players we had and now it is the same. I want to increase the level in our squad with our current players. Some are doing it, some are getting better, some are playing less but I believe in every player in this squad.
“We have now a really great striker in a very good moment and a young player who is progressing, getting better and getting confidence. Of course, if we can improve our squad in any position with one player to increase our level we are going to do it. We are watching everything and to improve on these two strikers, with the circumstances we have, is very, very difficult.”
Emery continued: “Who is the striker? Tell me names? I am trying to make sense of the circumstances. How can we improve because we now have Ollie Watkins who is playing well and improving things.
“We have another young player who is very good for the management with Ollie because he is progressively getting better, can play when not Watkins and can also play with him.
“How we can add another player and manage with the circumstances we have now, is very difficult. It is good for the journalists and supporters to think about it and give us an idea. But we are analysing and watching and it is very difficult.”
