da pinnacle： The Premier League wound down for the November international break, and Unai Emery seemed content. After all, his side had just given Bournemouth a four-goal hiding, and that marked five wins from six in the top flight.
da bet7k： The Spanish tactician believes he has stopped the early-season rot that had crawled across the Villa Park surface and threatened the stability of the project. Villa have found form, and they believe they can go all the way in the Europa League.
However, there are wrinkles that need to be smoothed out as the January transfer window draws closer.
The changes Emery needs to make at Villa
Aston Villa are well-positioned for the months ahead. However, Emery has several issues to contend with. Chief of which is the future of Harvey Elliott, who is on loan from Liverpool but playing the bittiest of roles at Villa Park. It is anticipated he will return to Merseyside in January.
And what to do with Ollie Watkins? The centre-forward has been his side’s talisman for years now, and yet he’s been horribly out of sorts this season, raising questions as to whether the board need to dig into their purses this winter.
The Three Lions striker has only scored once in the Premier League this season despite starting ten of 11 fixtures. His instinctiveness has deserted him, with Sofascore revealing he has missed four big chances.
25/26
11
1 (0)
24/25
38
16 (8)
23/24
37
19 (13)
22/23
37
15 (6)
21/22
35
11 (2)
20/21
37
14 (5)
Likewise, Evann Guessand has struggled since moving to England this summer, having started only five times in the Premier League and without registering a goal or assist.
There’s a player in there, for sure, but Leon Bailey out of the squad, Emery could package a few more stars to bring Villa’s chances of a grand-slam season to the fore.
The dream XI Emery could build in January
Aston Villa are in a good position, even having completed a quiet summer transfer window this year. Even so, some more depth could be beneficial up front.
As per FBref, the club’s 9.1 xG total this term puts them above only newly-promoted Burnley for that metric.
That’s why a move is being explored for Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo, with the £26m-rated Japan star looking to leave the La Liga side and Villa among the frontrunners, according to reports from a few weeks ago.
Kubo is as pacy as they come and ranks among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions per 90, so in theory, he could help Villa in their bid to become a more fluent attacking outfit.
But for all that Villa aren’t creating much, Watkins is letting them down with his profligacy in the final third. That’s why fans will be attentive to the news that a number of unspecified Premier League clubs are considering moves for Ivan Toney, who left Brentford for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli in 2024.
Regarded as a “monster” of a striker by his former Bees boss Thomas Frank, Toney, 29, has enjoyed prolific returns in the Gulf region but would be open to returning to his homeland ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
To cap off a prospectively wonderful transfer window, V Sports are understood to be interested in bringing right-back Guela Doue from Strasbourg to the club, looking to hijack Chelsea’s bid for the 23-year-old.
More progressive on the ball than Cash, the Ivorian would serve as a perfect counterpoint, adding the dimension required to wade deep into the European campaign while maintaining the push for top four in the Premier League too.
GK
Emi Martinez
RB
Guelo Doue
CB
Ezri Konsa
CB
Pau Torres
LB
Lucas Digne
CM
Amadou Onana
CM
Boubacar Kamara
CM
John McGinn
RW
Takefusa Kubo
LW
Morgan Rogers
CF
Ivan Toney
This is not the finished article. Lucas Digne, for example, turns 33 at the end of the season, and a left-back will be coveted in the Villan offices.
But such signings would take Villa’s winter spending to the £75m ballpark, and you have to be realistic about parameters.
It’s more than a start, a flourish on a canvas already bursting with colour. Emery’s Aston Villa are many things, but they are nothing if not progressive.
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