Unai Emery is clearly taking Aston Villa’s foray into the Champions League as seriously as you would expect, with a number of high quality signings already secured.
Jaden Philogene, Ian Maatsen and Amadou Onana are three of those already through the doors at Villa Park, with more expected before the 2024/25 season gets underway in earnest.
The associated strain on the squad that six group games will bring in the opening half of the campaign can’t be underestimated, and that hints at why Emery and director of football operations, Monchi, are working overtime in order to bring in the standard of player needed to keep the Villains competitive.
Emery to secure Double Champions League winner?
Spanish outlet, Mundo Deportivo, note that the club are pushing ahead with a bid to secure Barcelona’s long-serving double Champions League winner, Sergi Roberto, on a free transfer.
Roberto, 32, has somewhat surprisingly seen his legendary Barcelona career come to an end with a whimper this summer.
It was believed that the club captain would secure another short-term deal with the club he’s been with his entire professional career, but nothing has been forthcoming from the Catalans.
To that end, it’s understood that Roberto is now considering his options, the most favourable of which would seem to be to Villa at present.
If Emery is able to get a deal over the line, it would be a massive coup for the club.
Despite his advancing years, Roberto’s versatility and experience could be key to the Villains relative success in Europe.
It would also show the rest of the Premier League that the club are continuing to build something special under the current management team and, if they’re able to retain all of their big names too, 2024/25 could end up being a vintage season for all concerned.
At 32 I don’t understand why we are interested there’s no future in this. We don’t need has been freebies what we need is top quality on long term contracts
One big concern and this is just a personal comment we need a proven goal scorer to work with Watkins it’s going to be a 60 match season and if he gets injured we will be in massive trouble. Our best signing so far is Onana by a country mile. Final thought don’t go for Phillips that would be a complete waste of time.
You clearly know nothing about creating a team for here and now, to enable development in the future. Why wouldn’t you want an experienced player of such capacity, guiding the younger team members, sharing his knowledge base? Not every player is going to be at our club signing and honouring 5 year contracts! He’s free, he can bring guidance to our team, who’ve had no UCL experience in recent years.
Sign him up. 32 isn’t past it and he was good enough to be playing for Barcelona even last season.
Quality like that can’t be found easily and on a free transfer it’s a no brainer. UTV
We’ve got a young squad, so an older head with lots of CL experience makes a lot of sense in a position we need strengthening in. Is versatile too which is a plus. The squad is really taking shape, with multiple options in most positions. A few of the younger players might need a while to fully bed in, but if we add him Hermoso, Felix and shift a few and we are good to go.
Sergi Roberto is a no brainer.
He still has pace.
He reads the game incredibly well.
Strong in the tackle.
Good vision and decent long-range passer.
Plus, he can slot in at right-back. Meaning competition for Cash and freeing Konsa to compete for places in the central defense, where our numbers aren’t strong with Mings yet to return (and DC maybe on the move).
He’s still fast enough for next season as a starter. It also means Villa can spend elsewhere this summer and buy a longer-term defensive options (CB, RB) next summer or even the one after.
AND he has CL winner mentality.
Experience counts for everything – he perhaps wouldnt play as many minutes but on the big occasions this would be a coup for an experienced anchor – The problem in the future I see is – all this empire building is in the short term amazing – and Villa deserve to have the best of breaks – the fan base is one of the best in the business – They deserve it too – The owners and management are showing impeccable credentials and proven abilities – but down the pipe line I could imagine Spain calls for Uni to lead their country – or Real Madrid etc what then ? what if Uni answers that call ? He has an exceptional team that would follow – what then ? Quiet Contingency must also be a strategy – but in the short run – I do hope Villa bring home a trophy whatever it is – Uni ,the Fans, Monchi, The staff, the players through all their hard work deserve something this season for sure
Y wouldn’t we b all over this Roberto is quality and not 2 long ago we could only b dreaming about signing players of this calibre…his experience wit or younger player will b massive for there development…uni strikes again