Unai Emery faces a defining summer at Aston Villa. Why sentiment must be cast aside to refresh an ageing squad and who is at risk in the upcoming overhaul.
Aston Villa has the second-highest average age squad in the Premier League at 28.4, behind Fulham. 15 players are currently aged 28 or over.
The need for the club to continue to evolve and grow requires constant evaluation of the squad, which needs an overhaul.
This season especially Villa has stagnated at times, and it has become a growing problem in the last couple of seasons. Unai Emery can only extract so much talent from each player.
For Villa to reach the next level and to establish themselves as a consistent Champions League contender, then some players need to be moved on.
| Name | Age | Date Signed |
| Emiliano Martinez | 33 | September 2020 |
| Marco Bizot | 35 | July 2025 |
| Matty Cash | 28 | September 2020 |
| Andres Garcia | 23 | January 2025 |
| Ezri Konsa | 28 | July 2019 |
| Victor Lindelöf | 31 | September 2025 |
| Tyrone Mings | 33 | July 2019 |
| Pau Torres | 29 | July 2023 |
| Lucas Digne | 32 | January 2022 |
| Ian Maatsen | 24 | June 2024 |
| Lamare Bogarde | 22 | Academy |
| Ross Barkley | 32 | July 2024 |
| Youri Tielemans | 28 | July 2023 |
| Boubacar Kamara | 26 | July 2022 |
| Amadou Onana | 24 | July 2024 |
| Douglas Luiz | 27 | January 2026 – Loan |
| John McGinn | 31 | August 2018 |
| Harvey Elliott | 22 | July 2025 – Loan |
| Emiliano Buendia | 29 | June 2021 |
| Jadon Sancho | 25 | September 2025 – Loan |
| Leon Bailey | 28 | August 2021 |
| Alysson | 19 | January 2026 |
| Ollie Watkins | 30 | September 2020 |
| Tammy Abraham | 28 | January 2026 |
The majority of these players were signed before Emery became manager in November 2022. Whilst it shows how great they have performed, at some point they will plateau, and that time is coming.
Emery has worked miracles
Let it not be understated, Unai Emery has worked miracles with this team. When he took charge in November 2022, Villa were in a relegation battle, and there was a clear disconnect between the club and its supporters.
Now, they are soon to be entering their fourth consecutive season competing in European football. He has made the club rise again and restored the love around Villa Park.
Players who weren’t playing well or were deemed not good enough under Steven Gerrard have become stars. Look at Ollie Watkins, although having a tough season, his goal on Sunday marked his fifth season in a row scoring double digits.
John McGinn couldn’t get a start under Gerrard, but now he’s the captain and is one of the most important players in the squad.
| Metric | Under Gerrard | Under Emery |
| Appearances | 40 | 135 |
| Goals | 3 | 21 |
| Assists | 4 | 19 |
Ezri Konsa, one of the best centre-backs in the league. Lucas Digne improved drastically in his defensive work and chance creation. Tyrone Mings, a rock at the back, and has been so crucial in Villa’s back line. This list goes on and on.
To take this group of players and turn them into the standard they have reached today is nothing short of remarkable. All of them have truly played a part in returning the club back where it belongs, but some of them may have reached their ceiling.
Why has the squad remained the same?
The main reason for the lack of a refresh is the combination of the financial rules and poor recruitment. Villa doesn’t have the financial freedom to spend whatever sum of money they want on a player. Effectively, they operate on a one-in-one-out basis. However much money they receive for a player is how much they can spend on a new one.
Therefore, as the same players have remained at the club for some time, they have been offered new contracts on improved terms. This causes the wage bill to increase, as it has done over the last couple of years, and that has massively influenced who they can sign.
However, Villa’s recruitment has also not been good enough. Many players have come and gone quickly, and only a few have had a significant impact.
| Players signed under Emery | Fee |
| Alex Moreno | £13 million |
| John Duran | £14.75 million |
| Youri Tielemans | Free |
| Pau Torres | £31.5 million |
| Moussa Diaby | £51.9 million |
| Nicolo Zaniolo | Loan |
| Clement Lenglet | Loan |
| Morgan Rogers | £8 million |
| Ian Maatsen | £37.5 million |
| Cameron Archer | Buy-back clause – £14 million |
| Ross Barkley | £ 5 million |
| Jaden Philogene | Buy-back clause – £13.5 million |
| Amadou Onana | £50 million |
| Donyell Malen | £21 million |
| Marcus Rashford | Loan |
| Marco Asensio | Loan |
| Marco Bizot | £1-3 million |
| Evann Guessand | £30 million |
| Victor Lindelöf | Free |
| Jadons Sancho | Loan |
| Harvey Elliott | Loan |
| Tammy Abraham | £18 million |
| Douglas Luiz | Loan |
| Alysson | £10.5 million |
| Brian Madjo | £10 million |
Only five of these players, Rogers, Tielemans, Torres, Maatsen and Onana, who have remained at the club, have really strengthened the quality of the team. Diaby had a great first season, and Duran was a star in the making, but both of them are no longer Villa players. Likewise with Rashford and Asensio, who had amazing loan spells.
The reality is, Villa have to improve their recruitment this summer. Should they get Champions League football, then they must target the higher calibre of players who can enable the continued growth of the club.
This is crunch time; they cannot get this wrong, or they could stumble. Some players can remain as the core, but others need to move on. Next season has the potential to be very special.
