All the latest Aston Villa news as BirminghamLive looks at several deals Unai Emery could complete during the January transfer window
Aston Villa are yet to make any moves in the January transfer window with just under two weeks already gone. Although, Unai Emery is open to the idea of adding reinforcements who will help maintain their strong start to the 2023/24 campaign.
Villa have exceeded all expectations throughout the first half of the season, with the club currently sat in second place in the Premier League table, as well as progressing to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2016 and into the last 16 of the Europa Conference League. It is form which Emery will be eager to continue throughout 2024, with the January transfer window possibly arriving at the right time for his side.
Speaking on the possibility of welcoming any new arrivals in the New Year, Emery refused to rule out the possibility. “The owners are very ambitious and they are excited. They are enjoying it,” he said in December. “We have to be very intelligent and smart because we have good players in the squad.
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“We are managing some change in terms of how we can improve the squad. It’s not easy now to change something and improve clearly. We have the chance to do something and we are also going to see how we can manage some departures in the squad. We will analyse every situation in depth.”
Despite the strong start made by the Villans, there are always additions and changes to be made within the squad. Villa’s depth at right-back will need to be addressed, with centre-back Ezri Konsa regularly filling in for first-choice option Matty Cash, whenever he is injured, suspended or Emery prefers a different tactical outlook for the team.
Konsa himself has done well when deployed in the right-back position. However, given his form at centre-back with Pau Torres or Diego Carlos beside him that resulted in his first call-up to the England national team, Emery will want Konsa playing in his preferred position for the majority of the time.
That is a desire which could lead to Villa pursuing deals for previously named targets such as Jeremie Frimpong, Juan Foyth or Denzel Dumfries. They are players who all fit the mould that Emery wants, given their ability to play across multiple positions within the squad, whether it be a more attacking or central role.
Elsewhere, there is a growing uncertainty regarding the future of promising young forward Jhon Duran at Villa Park, as Serie A giants AC Milan continue to be linked with a move for the Columbian international. According to the Daily Mail, Emery and Duran have ‘sometimes not seen eye to eye’ following a series of substitutions when the 19-year-old was given an opportunity in the starting line-up, with other reports claiming Milan are eager to secure a loan deal with an option to buy during the January window.
Given the current form of Ollie Watkins, who has nine goals and eight assists in the Premier League already this season, any forward arriving in January would likely have to be an understudy to the England international, who is doing everything and more that Emery could want from him. While it may not open an opportunity to be the main man in the starting eleven, there is a vacant position as the second striker in Emery’s preferred formation, with the likes of Nicolo Zaniolo, Moussa Diaby and Youri Tielemans yet to nail a regular starting role in the position as of yet.
That could open the door for the arrival of a player such as Hellas Verona forward, Cyril Ngonge. The 23-year-old Belgian is capable of playing on the right-wing, as a lone striker or as a second striker, which tick all the boxes for Emery within his flexible 4-4-2 formation.
Finally, the club is also looking to recruit a young goalkeeper amongst their ranks, with the Villa boss highlighting that it would need to be someone willing to ‘come here and improve’ due to Argentinian international Emiliano Martinez occupying the number one spot for the foreseeable future.
It is a deal that isn’t a priority currently but would add youth to the squad, with the young prospect getting the opportunity to learn from the best goalkeeper in the world, combined with the prospect of first team minutes given the volume of games Villa play across all competitions.
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