Aston Villa injury news has handed Unai Emery an immediate problem before the Premier League season begins, with almost £90million of new midfield talent potentially unavailable against Brighton.
Villa spent heavily this summer to rebuild an area weakened by Youri Tielemans’ departure and Amadou Onana’s serious knee injury.
Johan Manzambi arrived from Freiburg for around £49million, while João Gomes completed a move from Wolves worth approximately £38m.
Neither is certain to be available when Villa travel to Brighton on Sunday.
Manzambi has been recovering from the knee problem he suffered during Switzerland’s World Cup campaign, while Gomes is expected to miss between two and four weeks after picking up an injury around the UEFA Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
That leaves Emery’s midfield rebuild in danger of beginning the season without two of its biggest pieces.
Aston Villa injury news leaves £87m rebuild on hold
Villa’s summer recruitment made sense.
Tielemans left for Manchester United, while Onana suffered an ACL injury which is expected to keep him sidelined for much of the campaign.
Gomes supplied the Premier League experience and defensive aggression required to compensate for those losses. He made 107 tackles last season, the third-highest total in the Premier League, while registering 194 ball recoveries.
Manzambi offered something different.
The Switzerland international emerged as one of Europe’s most exciting young midfielders at Freiburg and scored three times at the World Cup before injury ended his tournament prematurely.
Villa therefore appeared to have built a new-look midfield around Gomes, Manzambi and Boubacar Kamara.
Against Brighton, Emery may not be able to use it at all.
ReadAstonVilla previously detailed the seriousness of Onana’s ACL injury, while Gomes’ £38m arrival was supposed to give Villa an immediate Premier League-ready replacement.
Instead, Kamara could enter opening weekend carrying an enormous amount of midfield responsibility.
John McGinn could be forced into deeper Aston Villa role
One obvious solution is John McGinn.
McGinn normally gives Emery the freedom to use him higher, wider or as one of the players connecting midfield and attack.
The injury situation could instead force the Villa captain backwards.
He looked sharp after coming on against Borussia Mönchengladbach and scored Villa’s goal in the 2-1 defeat, making him an obvious candidate to operate alongside Kamara if Gomes and Manzambi fail to recover.
Emi Buendía could then assume more responsibility between the lines, while Alejandro Garnacho gives Emery another attacking option from the left.
It is workable.
It is not the midfield Villa spent the summer building.
João Palhinha transfer suddenly carries greater urgency
There is also a transfer consequence.
Villa have continued exploring a move for Bayern Munich midfielder João Palhinha.
Bayern sporting director Max Eberl has indicated that another loan could be considered if the financial package is sufficiently attractive, leaving Villa with a possible route back into negotiations.
The injuries make that pursuit easier to understand.
Palhinha would not merely provide competition once everyone is fit. He could immediately protect Villa against being caught short during the opening weeks.
Brighton are followed by Arsenal, Hull City and Nottingham Forest before Villa travel to Tottenham. Brian Madjo is also expected to remain unavailable until at least September, adding to Emery’s early selection issues.
Villa have invested heavily to change their midfield.
The frustrating part is that supporters may have to wait before seeing the new version of it.
For Brighton, Emery may instead have to find a solution from what remains.
