Aston Villa haven’t had it easy across the summer transfer window, but there’s no doubt that Unai Emery’s squad have what it takes to tackle the new Premier League and continental campaign with fervour.
Emery has returned to his favourite competition, the Europa League, after all.
Signings have been made, even if obstacles had to be circumvented. Still, the club, the owners, the manager, the fans, all are ambitious, and all are in concert that one or two more deals could be struck before the closure of the transfer window, should Villa hope to go from strength to strength.
Villa planning late-window deals
Aston Villa have been hamstrung by the Premier League’s profit and sustainability (PSR) rules this summer, no doubt, but they have spent shrewdly and may yet welcome one or two more fresh faces.
But one or two signings might be made before the end of the term, with Villa still in the race to sign Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson at this late hour, though they face stiff competition from Bayern Munich.
However, Emi Buendia is currently weighing up an exit, with German club Stuttgart keen, and so a replacement could be found in Marco Asensio.
As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Villa are ready to bring the Spaniard back to the club after his successful half-season loan, and they have agreed personal terms with the 29-year-old.
Monchi is currently locked in talks with Paris Saint-Germain, and it’s been suggested that a £13m package could do the trick.
Why Villa should sign Asensio
When Aston Villa welcomed Asensio to the fold at the season’s midpoint last year, they perhaps didn’t expect him to revel in the prolific heights he reached, scoring five goals across his opening seven matches for the English outfit.
Once hailed by his Mallorca youth coach, Juan Pericas, for his “magical” ability on the ball, Asensio has led a storied career amongst some of Europe’s heaviest hitters, but his spell with Villa last term showcased his potential for success in a system such as Emery’s, still challenging for the top but perhaps a rung below.
In this way, his potential arrival offers shades of Jack Grealish’s recent move to Everton, with Asensio perhaps set up to become Villa’s own version of the England international, once a superstar at Villa Park.
Aston Villa’s boyhood sensation completed 213 appearances for the Lions before leaving in 2021, and while he has since won the lot under Pep Guardiola’s wing at Manchester City, a recent loan move to Everton has seemingly reignited his career, having placed two assists against Brighton in the Premier League last week.
The difference, of course, is that Asensio has already proven himself for Emery’s squad, with his prolific touch and capacity to play across the frontline seeing him complete his sojourn with eight goals scored and one assist placed across 21 matches in all competitions.
Asensio differs from Grealish in that he’s more of a focal contributor in the final third, although he completed 71% of his dribbles in the Premier League last year to showcase some degree of ball-carrying similarity to the one-time Villa Park talisman.
Matches (starts)
13 (9)
Goals
3
Assists
1
Shots (on target)*
1.8 (0.8)
Big chances missed
4
Pass completion
86%
Big chances created
1
Key passes*
1.2
Dribbles (success)*
0.9 (71%)
Tackles + interceptions*
0.7
Duels won*
2.1
Grealish set the Premier League alight during his two-year performance at the highest level with his boyhood club, and he then earned himself a record-breaking £100m move to Manchester City.
While the experienced Asensio doesn’t fit that same narrative, he could emulate the modern-day Grealish in stepping down a notch to rekindle his decorated career.