Aston Villa’s pursuit of Champions League football requires more than just tactical brilliance on the pitch; it demands a ruthless strategy in the transfer market.
As the Premier League’s financial restrictions continue to tighten, the hierarchy at Villa Park must identify high-value opportunities to bolster the squad without breaching spending limits.
West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham are all currently fighting for relegation one of them will go down to the Championship. This will allow clubs like Villa to sign players at a lower price due to relegation clauses.
For a club like Villa, who must balance the books while competing at the elite level, these relegation clauses could be the difference-maker in the summer window.
Unai Emery likes a specific type of player, versatile and experienced. Throughout his tenure at Villa, he has mainly targeted players for the here and now, rather than for the future. Think of the Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio loan deals last year or Donyell Malen and now Tammy Abraham. These players are ready for the Premier League and also have experience in European competitions.
Our Read Aston Villa correspondent has identified five key stars who Unai Emery could sign in the summer from the current relegation trio who could be available for a fraction of their market value
1. Jarrod Bowen – West Ham
Jarrod Bowen is the perfect player for Emery’s system at Villa. A forward who can play on the right or as a striker and, crucially, is clinical in front of goal. Having joined West Ham in January of 2020, Bowen has gone on to make 272 appearances for the Irons, scoring 84 goals.
For the last five seasons, he has scored 10 or more goals in every campaign, in all competitions. At 29, you would think he would be passing beyond his prime, however, this is the age profile Emery targets.
Bowen’s father is a Villa supporter, which may help sway his decision when other clubs come knocking on his door. Villa’s lack of a goal-scoring forward this season should accelerate the need for a player like Bowen, and with the potential lure of Champions League football next year, this could be a no-brainer.
2. Morgan Gibbs-White – Nottingham Forest
This summer will likely be full of speculation surrounding Morgan Rogers. Chelsea and Arsenal are rumoured to be interested. Villas need to maintain a positive cash flow, may cause them to listen to offers for their star player.
Should Rogers leave this summer, then Morgan Gibbs-White would be the ideal replacement. He has been a consistent bright spark in a Forest side who have struggled this season.
Missing out on the latest England squad would have certainly hurt him, so a move, regardless of whether the Reds get relegated, is surely on the cards.
Gibbs-White signed for Forest for a total package of around £42.5 million from Wolves in the summer of 2022. He is currently having his best scoring season to date, with 11 goals in all competitions, 9 in the league, which is 6 more than their second-highest scorer.
With their main talisman, Chris Wood, out with a long-term injury, Gibbs-White has had to step up and take the reins as the leading goal-scorer this season. Emery’s pedigree and knack for consistently improving players will likely attract Gibbs-White to Villa, who could reach the highest level.
3. Lucas Bergvall – Tottenham
Villa has already shown interest in Lucas Bergvall in the January window. Reportedly enquiring about the possibility of a move, which was turned down by Tottenham.
Whilst recently returning from injury, Bergvall has struggled for regular starts since he moved to Spurs two years ago. He has an abundance of talent, and at only 20, he has the potential to evolve into a world-class player.
Villa’s midfield is already stacked with elite players like Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara, but adding Bergvall to the mix would give Emery a wealth of options.
Given his versatility, Emery could operate him as one of the defensive midfielders and push Tielemans into the No 10 or play Bergvall in that more attacking role.
At 6ft 1in, his height enables him to develop into an enforcer in midfield, similarly to Amadou Onana’s progression, although Bergvall is more composed on the ball.
4. Murillo – Nottingham Forest
Should Forest go down, then Murillo will have a whole host of clubs after him. He has become one of the most exciting centre-back prospects in the last couple of years. Pacy, strong and very comfortable on the ball, Murillo would be the perfect alternative to both Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings. Still only 23, the Brazilian has racked up over 100 appearances for the Reds and is certainly one to keep an eye on this summer.
As he will be in demand, Forest will demand a high fee, which could price Villa out of a move. The Villans will only pay the fee they feel is suitable, and with the added difficulty of having to move a centre-back on, it could make the deal difficult.
Murillo has huge potential, and Emery would be the perfect manager for him to get there.
5. Malick Diouf – West Ham
A move for Malick Diouf would certainly be with one eye on the future. Villa have to reduce their wages, and one way would be signing younger players and moving their higher earners on.
One of those is Lucas Digne, who, although he recently signed a new contract on a lower salary, is still one of Villa’s higher earners. Moving him on and getting Diouf to deputise Ian Maatsen would be a good move, allowing the Senegalese international the opportunity to develop into a fantastic player.
Diouf has already shown glimpses of his talent this season, assisting 5 times and creating 15 chances. His pace in attack and his defensive recoveries have been exciting to watch.
In Emery’s system, the left-back almost plays as a left-winger at times, offering width and allowing the left-sided forward to play as an inside No 10. Diouf would fit the mould flawlessly, and it would not be a surprise if Villa makes a move for him.
Villa’s actions in the transfer market are pivotal to how they will compete next season. Maintaining the level of the squad is paramount to succeeding both domestically and in Europe.
While Unai Emery’s focus remains firmly on securing elite European football, the club’s recruitment team will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on the unfolding drama at the bottom of the table.
Securing established Premier League talent at a discounted rate is a rare opportunity that could allow the hierarchy to bypass the usual “Champions League tax.”
If the right results go Villa’s way at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, the foundations for a sustained period at the top of the English game may well be built on the remains of those heading for the Championship.
