Aston Villa have handled perfectly what could have been a significant issue in the NSWE era
Aston Villa have been hot on staying on top of contracts in the era of Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens. As exciting as incoming transfers can be, in order to continue progressing on the pitch and improving performance, it's been imperative for a team like Villa - especially considering where they've arrived from since the turn of the year in 2019 - to retain their very best talent.
It's meant that, when vultures have arrived, they've been required to meet Villa's demands. Take Jack Grealish as an example - the most expensive English footballer in the history of the sport, no less - and, even last summer when cornered by PSR into parting with an asset, Villa still secured a notable income from the sale of Douglas Luiz.
Villa have consistently placed themselves in an imperious negotiating position having remained sharp on the contractual front. Even now, the only two players whose deals are due to expire in the summer are deputy goalkeeper Robin Olsen - whose exit appeared likely anyway - and Kortney Hause, who hasn't even been named in the club's 25-man squad.
Any significant contributor to the starting XI - from established senior personnel like Ollie Watkins, Emi Martinez and John McGinn - have all garnered interest at various stages in recent years, yet they've not only bought into what Villa have sold by way of a project, but they've also been suitably rewarded for their performances with agreeable terms offered their way as and when.
Even this year, since the beginning of the season, Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers have both agreed new, lengthy contracts which better reflect their contributions and levels of display being shown under Unai Emery at home and on the continent. It would appear as though NSWE, Emery and the thinktank involving Monchi and Damian Vidagany aren't done yet, either. The turn of the year is set to mark potentially another contract renewal shortly.
The Telegraph reports that Villa have made tying Boubacar Kamara down to fresh terms a priority. The Frenchman had a pretty wretched 2024 having suffered a devastating knee injury almost a year ago, although he did make his return in the autumn and, in some style too, has re-established himself in the starting XI. Kamara has now started 11 games, looks back to his best and is likely to remain an important box to tick off.
