Under Unai Emery, Aston Villa have leaned heavily toward signing seasoned, high-profile players — from Youri Tielemans and Donyell Malen to Ross Barkley and Amadou Onana, plus glamorous loanees such as Marcus Rashford. Supporters may soon see another arrival of that mould this winter: a proven top-flight operator boasting four Champions League triumphs.
Those deals represent only a fraction of Villa’s recent transfer activity, and although the weightier signings placed them under financial pressure last summer, the overall strategy has been effective, helping shift the club from a relegation scrap to a Champions League quarter-finalist. Despite ongoing PSR concerns, Villa stuck to their approach in the latest window, landing Evann Guessand as their flagship permanent acquisition and replacing Rashford and Marco Asensio with temporary additions Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott, plus free agents Victor Lindelof and cult figure Marco Bizot. With Monchi now gone after two years of orchestrating Villa’s moves, incoming football chief Roberto Olabe may subtly reshape the profile of future targets.
Olabe excelled at Real Sociedad, turning Alexander Isak, Robin Le Normand, Mikel Merino and most recently Martin Zubimendi into a combined €214m (£189m) of sales. Villa could therefore pivot toward players with high upside and resale potential — the kind Olabe has consistently developed and sold at major profit, and likely a key reason he was hired at such a decisive moment for the club.
Even so, there is still space for marquee names at sensible fees — which brings us to Mateo Kovacic as a potential January option.
Kovacic could help Emery elevate Villa’s style
This season has been rough for Kovacic, who has managed just 37 minutes due to ankle and achilles issues. His return is expected after the winter window closes, but that doesn’t necessarily exclude the prospect of a mid-season switch — and his injury history is generally benign.
For seven straight campaigns he has been integral to two Champions League-winning sides, experience Emery would relish adding at Villa Park. The next leap for Villa is to become a reliably dominant possession side: last season they ranked 10th in ball share at 50.6%, but have climbed to fifth at 54% this term. It remains unclear whether that improvement will translate into better results given their chaotic form, yet Kovacic’s profile fits perfectly with what Emery wants.
Despite his disruptions, the Croatian still sits in the top 20% of midfielders in Europe’s major leagues for progressive passing and carrying, while ranking in the top 6% for pass completion and non-penalty goals. His defensive contribution continues to be underestimated, and his ability to glide forward before threading a cutting pass makes him an ideal fit not only for Villa, but for almost any elite club outside Manchester City and a select few giants. But that popularity presents its own challenge: if he becomes available, Villa won’t have the market to themselves.
Will Villa roll the dice on Kovacic?
Kovacic’s Manchester City contract runs until 2027, yet CaughtOffside’s Mark Brus claims the champions would listen to offers. A £15m fee is unlikely to deter Villa, but his £150,000-a-week salary could. Matching those wages would place him alongside Morgan Rogers and Emi Martínez as one of Villa’s highest earners, and several clubs are prepared to meet — or exceed — his current pay.
Kovacic has watched Croatia teammates Marcelo Brozovic and Ivan Rakitic secure lucrative moves to Saudi Arabia, and he could follow suit. Even if he prefers to stay in Europe, AC Milan, Villarreal and various Champions League contenders are expected to approach him. And stylistically, he already feels like a natural Milan signing.
However, he has spent all his children’s lives in England, and with his wife’s fashion work firmly rooted in the UK, remaining in the country may be a decisive factor. A switch to Aston Villa would preserve that stability more comfortably than a move to West Ham, another club tracking his situation.
Both sides would be taking a calculated risk, but a short hop down the M6 may ultimately suit Kovacic’s personal life while giving Emery a midfielder capable of helping Villa not only return to Europe’s elite but cement themselves as a regular top-four challenger.
