Unai Emery and a handful of Aston Villa players have returned to Bodymoor Heath as pre-season preparations kick off ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
With Villa TV offering fans a glimpse behind the scenes, a select group of first-team stars were seen getting back into the groove during early sessions.
Back in action were Tyrone Mings, Ross Barkley, Jacob Ramsey, Pau Torres, Boubacar Kamara, Andres Garcia, and Lamare Bogarde. The remainder of the squad is expected to report back next week — just under five weeks out from the Premier League’s opening weekend.
One noticeable face was Kosta Nedeljkovic, despite RB Leipzig previously showing interest in making his move permanent. They chose not to activate their £9 million buy option at the end of his loan, leaving his future uncertain.
Alex Moreno also trained this week, even though he’s available for transfer. Nottingham Forest passed on the chance to make his loan move permanent following his stint at the City Ground.
Inside the gym, Barkley was spotted doing kettlebell lunges, Ramsey tackled the seated cable row, while Mings, Torres, and Garcia were all working on dumbbell rows. Ramsey added in some lateral raises, with Mings pushing through heavy pulldowns.
Out on the pitch, several academy players joined the session as first-team preparations ramped up. Assistant coach Pablo Villanueva was out early to run drills before Unai Emery made his entrance — clipboard in hand, sporting a claret and blue cap featuring the round 2023/24 badge.
Emery and his coaching staff wore fresh navy adidas training kits with blue and yellow detailing, while the players were kitted out in this season’s new light pink design.
As always, Emery made a point to greet each player individually — offering handshakes, pats on the chest, and a few encouraging words.
The group kicked off their first official session with a demanding running workout — setting the tone for what’s expected to be a focused and high-intensity pre-season.
Next week, Villa will be coming off their first friendly against Walsall and preparing to fly to Germany to take on Hansa Rostock as the countdown to the new season continues.
