Aston Villa, having had a remarkable first half of the season, are looking to strengthen their squad in the January transfer window to support Unai Emery’s team. Their goal is to qualify for Champions League football and Europa Conference League glory, having already secured their passage to the last 16 by topping Group E in the previous month. Emery is keen on making additions to the squad this month to build on their impressive performance in the first five months of the season. Villa reporter John Townley hosts a weekly Villa fans’ forum to discuss all the major talking points, with a focus on the January transfer window. The full transcript is available below, and you can share your thoughts on all things Villa and transfers in the comments section.
In my opinion, delaying the North Stand rebuild was a wise move as long as we secure a spot in the Champions League or at least the Europa League. This will increase Villa’s FIFA Fair Play restriction bar, allowing us to spend freely on improving the team without any hindrances. Our recent results and performances have highlighted our lack of depth, and if we want to maintain our trajectory towards a CL spot, we need certain backups. While we can upgrade most areas, I believe the most critical ones are DCM/Kamara back up and RB/Cash upgrade.
Regarding the North Stand rebuild, I think it was the right call as our on-pitch performances have the potential to transform the club more in the next few years than building a new stand. Although there’s never a perfect time to do so, it feels like the wrong time now, considering how it could affect our performance.
I agree that we need a DM back-up and more depth at RB. Dendoncker doesn’t seem to have a future at Villa, and Tim is likely to leave in January. Konsa is an excellent defender, but we suffer when he moves away from CB, and Cash is the only recognised RB in the squad. We also need a striker to support Olly and provide reliable cover. If you had a spare pound to bet, which two names do you think we’ll see through the door this window?
Hello Aaron, I’m doing well, thanks for asking. I hope you’re doing well too. The fact that Premier League games have an average of 200 unsold seats and there are no sell-outs for European games is not a strong enough reason to halt the expansion of Villa Park. The unsold seats could be due to hospitality packages or less desirable seats. There are also empty blocks of seats that are not coincidental, and some fans may not want to spend more than £100 on a game but would be willing to buy a season ticket. The club has over 30,000 people on the season ticket list, and this number will only grow as the team improves. As for European games, the cost of living crisis may be a factor, but as the team progresses, there will be more exciting matches to come. The owners are committed to improving facilities across the stadium, and plans are in place to add approximately 3,000 seats by changing the seating layout.
Villa needs more cover and depth in DM and RB, and although Emery has indicated that a striker signing is unlikely, an attacking player could join if the opportunity arises. The club is prepared for the transfer window, so expect some changes.
Regarding the Villa Park rebuild, Chris Heck had considered the potential impact on on-pitch performance due to a reduced capacity. He does not want to build a new stand, and there are multiple reasons for this decision. However, there is no lack of appetite from the owners to invest in the club’s future. In fact, their investment will only increase as the team continues to progress.
