Only 93 days separate Aston Villa lifting the Europa League trophy in Istanbul and the eve of their new Premier League campaign, yet more than half of Unai Emery’s starting XI from that final could leave during one remarkable summer rebuild.
Villa beat Freiburg 3-0 on 20 May with Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres and Lucas Digne forming the back five.
Victor Lindelöf partnered Youri Tielemans in midfield, with John McGinn, Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers supporting Ollie Watkins.
UEFA’s official record confirms the XI that delivered Villa’s first European trophy in 44 years.
Three of those starters have already left. A fourth is closing in on the exit, while the futures of another two remain uncertain.
Three Aston Villa Europa League winners have already left
Morgan Rogers’ departure represents the most lucrative change.
Villa officially sold Rogers to Chelsea for a reported £117million after a season in which he scored Villa’s third goal in the Europa League final.
Tielemans, scorer of the opening goal against Freiburg, has joined Manchester United after his £35million release clause was activated.
Lucas Digne has also returned to France.
Villa confirmed Digne’s permanent move to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month, removing another member of Emery’s established defensive unit.
Those were already significant changes.
Konsa would make it four.
Villa have agreed a £50million plus add-ons deal for the England defender to join Arsenal, with his transfer now moving towards completion.
Four players who started one of the most important matches in Villa’s modern history have therefore either departed or are on their way out before the new league season has begun.
Watkins and Martinez could take Aston Villa total to six
The overhaul may not end there.
Watkins scored 21 times in all competitions last season and led the line throughout Villa’s European run, but Al-Hilal continue to pursue the England international.
Read Aston Villa reported that a fourth Al-Hilal bid is expected after Villa rejected a £38million proposal, with Watkins understood to be open to the move.
Martinez provides another unresolved situation.
Villa have already invested around £30million in Zion Suzuki, a goalkeeper young enough to become their long-term No.1.
The arrival of Suzuki has placed further attention on Martinez’s future, even after Juventus switched their attention elsewhere.
If Watkins and Martinez eventually follow Rogers, Tielemans, Digne and Konsa out of Villa Park, six of the 11 players who started the Europa League final will have left in the same summer.
Emery’s new Aston Villa side must form quickly
Villa have hardly stood still.
Johan Manzambi and João Gomes have strengthened midfield, Matteo Ruggeri has replaced Digne and Suzuki provides a new option in goal. Further defensive recruitment is also being pursued following the Konsa agreement.
The scale of the transformation remains striking.
On 20 May, Villa’s Europa League final XI represented the culmination of Emery’s rebuild.
Ninety-three days later, only five members of that side could eventually emerge untouched by this summer’s transfer market.
Villa are not simply adding to the team that conquered Europe.
They are constructing another one.
