Aston Villa are reaping the rewards of securing qualification for the Champions League next season courtesy of their fourth-place finish in the Premier League.
This has allowed Unai Emery to target players who were perhaps out of their price range before, or simply weren’t interested in a move to the Midlands.
Combine this with the fact they will be set to receive a financial windfall due to partaking in Europe’s premier club competition and this could be the start of a wonderful era for the club.
Players such as Lewis Dobbin, Ian Maatsen and Ross Barkley have joined Villa, adding some quality all over the pitch, but it is their most recent transfer which managed to get heads turning…
Aston Villa splash the cash to sign Amadou Onana
Such is the lure of Villa these days that Emery is able to bring a player such as Amadou Onana to the club, fending off the likes of Manchester United in the process.
Player
Club signed from
Amadou Onana
Everton
Ross Barkley
Luton Town
Samuel Illing-Junior
Juventus
Enzo Barrenechea
Juventus
Lewis Dobbin
Everton
Cameron Archer
Sheffield United
Jadon Philogene
Hull City
Ian Maatsen
Chelsea
He may have cost £50m, but considering how impressive he has been for Everton recently, plus plenty of room to grow and develop under the Spaniard, a move to the Midlands could be the perfect choice for the Belgian.
For his country at Euro 2024, Onana was one of the standout performers. Starting all four of Belgium’s matches, the midfielder averaged a pass success rate of 90% while averaging 0.8 successful dribbles per game – a success rate of 100% – and winning a remarkable 88% of his ground duels throughout the tournament.
Belgium may have faltered at the last 16 stage, but Onana’s displays proved that he can shine at the very highest level and this will stand Emery in good stead when the Champions League fixtures come around.
The transfer was a real statement signing, no doubt about that. Could the experienced coach perhaps secure an even bigger coup than the 22-year-old in the coming weeks, however, with Villa showing plenty of interest in another Euro 2024 star.
Aston Villa eyeing up move for La Liga superstar
It is certainly no secret that Villa are keen on bringing Atlético Madrid forward João Félix to the club this summer.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Felix is the “dream target” for Emery between now and the end of the transfer window. A move to sign the Portuguese gem would be a much bigger coup than the deal for Onana, especially considering what a high-profile talent he is – having once cost Atleti roughly £113m.
A new update regarding Felix’s future has been released as Emery now knows exactly how much he will have to pay in order to bring the player to Villa.
It is clear that he wants to move away from Atlético Madrid this summer as he was pictured training on his own following his return from holiday. According to Spanish outlet AS, Diego Simeone will demand a fee of at least €60m (£50m) in order for the club to sell him.
The report goes on to state that Barcelona are expected to make an effort to try and retain his services as he spent last term on loan at the club, meaning Emery has some stiff competition.
Having sold Moussa Diaby for around £50m, it means the Spaniard might have some money to play with in the coming weeks. The key question now is, will Felix want to join the project at Villa?
Joao Felix’s season in numbers
It would be fair to say that since Felix joined Atlético back in the summer of 2019, he hasn’t quite lived up to his staggering £113m price tag.
The £96k-per-week gem was hardly prolific during his four full seasons at the club, scoring only 34 goals in 131 appearances, adding a further 18 assists.
He spent the entire 2023/24 season on loan at Barcelona in a bid to return to the sort of form which led Simeone to spend over £100m on the player, and he enjoyed some success at the Catalan club.
Felix played 44 times for Xavi last term, registering 16 goal contributions – ten goals and six assists – as the club failed to win a major trophy.
Goals
7
Assists
3
Big chances created
6
Key passes per game
0.6
Shots on target per game
0.8
Successful dribbles per game
1
Total duels won per game
3.8
Among his teammates, the 24-year-old did rank fourth for goals and assists (ten) in La Liga, while also ranking second for shots on target per game (0.8) and fifth for successful dribbles per game (one), impressing across a range of metrics.
What Joao Felix could offer Aston Villa
Emery would deploy Felix in the number ten slot, operating just behind striker Ollie Watkins, allowing the pair to flourish.
Felix is a superb ball carrier, which could see him progress into dangerous positions on a regular basis, creating chance after chance for Watkins.
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In the Spanish top flight last term, he ranked in the top 13% for carries into the final third (3.10) per 90, while also ranking in the top 4% for touches in the attacking penalty area (6.08) per 90, showing the threat he carries when on the ball in the opposition third.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described Felix as being “an absolute nightmare for defenders” a few years ago, and he could be a wonderful addition to the Villa squad next season.
Another bonus for Emery should Felix join this summer would be his experience in the Champions League. The Portuguese attacking midfielder has played 41 times in the competition, scoring ten goals and grabbing three assists.
That experience is yet another reason why the one-time Benfica man could prove to be Villa's most exciting deal of the summer – even eclipsing the £50m outlay on Onana – with opportunities to land just elite talents not coming around every day.