Aston Villa Summer Transfers: A Solid Offseason
By: Anthony Tazbaz
Image Credit: Nathan Rogers
Football in Birmingham is finally coming back to life!
Aston Villa have had a solid offseason, building off the fine form during the second half of the season and completing several major signings.
While major clubs such as Arsenal FC, Manchester City, and Manchester United have recently owned the majority of the headlines in England - with the signings of Declan Rice, Joško Gvardiol, and André Onana - Aston Villa swooped in and are about to secure one of the biggest and most promising transfer targets not only of this summer, but since last January: Moussa Diaby.
Starting his career as an academy graduate at Paris Saint-Germain, he carried his talents to German outfit Bayer Leverkusen, which had an excellent run in the second half of the season, finishing 4th in the Bundesliga and making it all the way to the UEFA Europa League semifinals, where they only lost 1-0 against AS Roma.
Diaby's outstanding performances at Leverkusen is earning him a move to the Premier League, worth around £52 million, a club record. The only thing that surprises most is the fact that it is not with Chelsea, nor Newcastle, nor Arsenal, who were both in the mix.
A Deeper Look
Although Diaby's signing is not fully confirmed, Aston Villa's inspiring offseason started with the signing of Belgian international Youri Tielemans from Leicester City.
Another major transfer target across Europe, Aston Villa successfully persuaded the Belgian midfielder to sign at Villa Park without needing to pay a transfer fee. He will bring top quality football to a strong midfield. He can equally contribute both on the attack and on their own half, whether it be fighting to regain position or on the transition.
His free transfer was the first move made by manager Unai Emery who's had an excellent season on the pitch. Arriving in October 2022 following the sacking of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, the Spanish manager was tasked to steer the Villains away from relegation zone, where they sat only two points above (16th place).
His debut was a massive success, decisively defeating Manchester United 3-1 in front of the home crowd, a first at Villa Park since 1995. Aston Villa never looked back, achieving 15 wins out of 25 league matches since Emery's appointment and obtaining 49 out of a possible 75 points. This earned them a 7th place finish and a chance to qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Having won the UEFA Champions League in 1985, many supporters should view this as an opportunity that cannot be missed. A chance to play in Europe for the first time in decades, with the young Conference League serving as a vehicle for smaller clubs to elevate their calibre, represents the perfect moment for Birmingham to have a club play at Europe's elite level once more.
Making Moves
Back to signings. Between Moussa Diaby's imminent arrival and Tielemans's free transfer, Aston Villa also secured, in my honest opinion, one of the most underrated defenders in the world in Pau Torres.
Standing at 1.91 metres, the 26-year-old Spanish centre-back reunites with Emery, both of whom played vital roles at their former club, Villarreal CF, where they won the 2020-21 UEFA Europa League against Manchester United on penalties. Torres was also named to the Europa League Team of the Season.
He brings stability to an area of the pitch where Villa lacks perennial talent. His tenacious defence earned him a starting role on a Spanish team that went all the way to the Euro 2021 semifinals and won the 2023 UEFA Nations League.
His arrival comes at a cost of €33 million, €12 million below his market value!
Bottom Line
Aston Villa have arguably had the best offseason in 2023. They did not purchase half a squad, but they paid handsomely for a couple of players (with another arriving for free), all of whom could be worth far more in the years to come. Not to mention, they also snagged high quality players who were primary targets for some of the best and biggest clubs in Europe.
With a squad valued at a historic €552 million (transfermarkt, AV), the Villains now have a strong enough squad to remain a perennial top-8 club, with a ceiling reaching top five if they play to their full potential and are well managed.
Unai Emery has an incredible resume when it comes to managing mid-sized clubs, particularly in Spain. He now seems to have brought his philosophy to the best league in the world, and it still worked.
As Claudio Ranieri did with Leicester in 2015-16, Unai Emery could bring a mid-sized club to new heights and remain competitive for a long while. However, it is up to management to maintain a sustainable philosophy and project, whether Emery remains at the wheel or elevates a new club.
