Unai Emery breaks silence on Donyell Malen transfer as he targets 'two or three' more January deals
Aston Villa are working on several deals to make space in Unai Emery's squad to facilitate additions in this winter window.
Donyell Malen is expected to sign for the club shortly in a deal worth around £20m plus add-ons, while Jaden Philogene is heading to Ipswich for a similar fee. Villa are also in the market to recruit a right-back, but want to loan out Kosta Nedeljkovic.
Elsewhere in defence, Diego Carlos has interest from a number of teams, though recent reports suggest a move to Fenerbahce has stalled.
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"The most important thing is that we are playing tomorrow," Emery said in his press conference on Tuesday. "But we are in the transfer window and we are trying to do some movements. One of those movements is the possibility to sign Malen. In case Malen signs for us, it is close, we have to leave one player, which is Jaden [Philogene].
"We are alert and we want to always be ready to improve the squad with the players and, of course, sometimes some players want to leave us for different circumstances as well. We are moving forward with some circumstances like I am telling you from today until the last day of the window.
"If we are changing one player, Malen and Jaden, that’s the first. Maybe two or three players more, we can do another deal of some players leaving and some players joining us."
Villa will play six games in all competitions before the winter window closes for Premier League clubs on Monday, February 3.
