It could be quite a difficult summer for Aston Villa manager, Unai Emery, despite the Villains having qualified for the Champions League for the first time since it was branded as the European Cup in the 1980s.
That’s because, according to CaughtOffside sources with knowledge of the current situation at the club, up to four of Villa’s first-team stars could be sold.
Ollie Watkins can celebrate his call-up to the England squad for the upcoming European Championship by making a move to either Arsenal or Chelsea, as both London giants want to land the 28-year-old in the summer window.
Aston Villa on the back foot already this summer
The Blues are also believed to be chasing 20-year-old Colombian striker Jhon Duran, and were both players to be sold, it would leave Emery light up front ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Brazilian defender, Diego Carlos, 31, would appear to be surplus to requirements.
AC Milan look to be interested in taking the centre-back to Serie A, whilst Juventus seem to be close to getting a deal for Douglas Luiz over the line.
Newcastle and Arsenal are also credited with an interest in the midfielder, but it’s Juve’s apparent willingness to offer €20m and both Weston McKennie and Samuel Iling-Junior that could see that particular deal sealed.
For a team and club that really appear to be going places, losing some of their best players, however much their sales might bring in, would seem to be counter-productive at this point.
It would also put Villa on the back foot from the beginning of the new season.
With that Champions League campaign to come, it’s clear that Unai Emery is going to need those players fit and available – or, at the very least, new players with an equivalent skill set and experience.
What a ridiculous article, Villa having to box clever in the transfer market, they are doing it early on, every premier league team will have to do this, Luiz was the sacrificial lamb plus we got McKennie and Iling Jr in return and £20 million knocked off the PSR-good deal!!, notice he hasn’t gone to another Premier league team, neither Arsenal or Liverpool because those teams are sailing way too close to the wind aswell ref FFP/PSR, Watkins is going nowhere, neither any other important player, Duran is a liability so inconsistent and a problem off the pitch too, another £30 million into the PSR pot!! Chelsea are in major problems with this, so are Arsenal and Liverpool. we are not going to see any major transfers this close season, I think!!
Totally agree. As long as the Luiz deal goes through before the financial end period. The 20 mill covers the loss we get to potentially good players get rid of Will Smith and then we can wheel deal and spend 105 mill on new players if we want. Please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.
Villa get the 20 million for psr plus the value of the two incoming players off par as well which brings it to about 60 million ish