Aston Villa transfer news latest as PSR position explained and Morgan Rogers repeat required
Aston Villa are preparing to strengthen Unai Emery's squad next month with the January transfer window opening in less than three weeks' time.
Villa's president of football operations Monchi says that the club will be alive to any possibilities that present themselves to the club in the forthcoming transfer window. Villa will have to be careful as to how much they spend with the well documented PSR rules in mind, but that doesn't mean that deals can't be concluded if they see fit.
Villa are well placed in the Champions League, in a position of strength when it comes to progressing into the latter stages of the competition and with only two more group matches left to come against Monaco and Celtic. In the Premier League, successive home wins last week meant that they have ended their winless run which preceded it and are back into the top half ahead of their trip to Nottingham Forest this weekend.
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It has enticingly set up the Christmas period for Villa and Unai Emery, who has worked to bed in the new signings like Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen over the course of the season, while also regaining Boubacar Kamara, Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia from long-term injuries. In January, the prospect of topping the squad up is something of interest to Monchi, who continues to enjoy working with long-term colleague Emery.
"We are working to improve the level of the squad, but it's not easy because we have a top squad and a top team," Monchi told Amazon Prime Video. "My job is to try and increase this level. We are working, because in 20 days the transfer window opens and we have to be prepared in case there are some possibilities.
"I think we're doing a good season, but it's important we continue at this level. In the Champions League we are very happy because we are near the top of the qualification and in the Premier League, it's true that in the last month we've had some problems, but the last two games we won and we are nearer to our objective.
"To work with Unai is easy, because he is a top coach and I've known him for ten years, since we were in Sevilla. I understand what he needs. For him, the most important thing is to work. I love to work, I love my job and I think that when you work with a coach, the most important thing is to bring what he wants. I try every day to continue in his way."
What positions are they looking to strengthen?
Villa tried and failed to add a new right-sided defender in the summer transfer window, with Lutsharel Geertruida their prime target in the final days of August. A move for the Dutch international hinged on Villa making room in their squad, but Diego Carlos didn't leave before the window closed.
Geertruida joined RB Leipzig for a small fee of around £20m as he was in the final year of his contract. The fact Villa were looking to complete a cut-price deal and were also unable to take on the cost without selling another player, said everything about how PSR is holding them back.
Villa could go back into the market for a right-back given that Matty Cash has limited competition at this stage, with Lamare Bogade and Kosta Nedeljkovic still young and inexperienced at the highest level.
Clearly, the sale of Moussa Diaby has impacted Villa so far this season as Leon Bailey has struggled to reach his best level, while Jaden Philogene is a different profile to both right wingers. The club believes in Philogene's potential after re-signing him from Hull City, but he prefers to play off the left and is more effective coming inside rather than going on the outside of defenders.
Villa signed Morgan Rogers for just £8m, rising to £15m last January and if a similar bargain emerges next month, then Villa will act. Recruiting players with plenty of room for growth under Emery is a key part of the club's model due to PSR as they come with minimal cost but high potential as players and assets.
Who could leave?
Villa will need to make space in their squad before making additions on a tight budget, which was a complication that troubled the club at the end of the summer window. Starting in the goalkeeping department, Robin Olsen is nearing the end of his contract with Villa and will turn 35 in January. Joe Gauci signed on at the start of the year and made his debut in the Carabao Cup earlier this season.
Reports in Olsen's native Sweden claim that Malmo are interested in signing him and centre-back Pontus Jansson has revealed he has spoken with the goalkeeper about the possibility of joining. Olsen joined Villa on an initial loan in January 2022, before he penned a permanent contract with the club in June later that year. He signed from AS Roma after being capped over 50 times by his country, while also representing clubs in Sweden, Greece, Denmark, Italy and England previously.
Carlos courted interest in the summer, but a move away from Villa never materialised. Several Premier League clubs were interested in signing Carlos in the summer, including Fulham, while Wolves discussed a move for the Brazilian but never made a formal approach to Villa. Carlos will enter the final year of his contact with Villa next summer after turning 32 in March.
There could also be interest in Nedeljkovic, who Emery has used sparingly so far this term. At just 18 years of age, Nedeljkovic has bags of talent and the Villa manager will give him time to learn his role. But after being left out of seven of the club's last eight league matchday squads and only playing 39 minutes across six Champions League matches, the Serbia international could be granted a loan move.
The same goes for Bogarde, who has made three league appearances this season. He impressed in pre-season, but will struggle for minutes in the second half of the campaign and could gain invaluable experience elsewhere.
Emi Buendia's minutes may also be limited beyond the January window after making a few cameo appearances so far this term. He started both Carabao Cup matches when Emery made wholesale changes, but Buendia hasn't been brought on before the 80th minute in a league game.
There's plenty of competition throughout the Villa team, none more so than in Buendia's position. With that being said, Villa turned down Leeds United's approach to take Buendia on loan in the summer.
