Unai Emery can now turn to a collection of exciting young players as Aston Villa look to achieve their ambitions this season.
Aston Villa have significantly reshaped Unai Emery’s squad this summer, bringing in a number of young and promising players. It was always expected to be a transitional window for Villa, with several important departures followed by more than £200 million being spent on replacements.
Johan Manzambi was the first major arrival, brought in following Morgan Rogers’ £117 million move to Chelsea, which became a British-record transfer.
Alejandro Garnacho, Nicolas Jackson, Joao Gomes and Zion Suzuki have also arrived with plenty of their careers still ahead of them, while deadline-day signing Ibrahim Mbaye is just 18.
Villa explored a move for Jarrod Bowen earlier in the summer, but the winger opted to remain at West Ham and help their promotion push.
Other attacking options were considered, including Rafael Leao, as Emery looked to add greater quality and depth to his frontline. Villa ultimately settled on Mbaye, reaching an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain for the highly rated teenager.
It could prove to be one of the most exciting additions of the summer. Mbaye has enormous potential and Villa were particularly pleased to secure his services after significant interest in the youngster over the past year.
His arrival also fits perfectly with Villa’s wider recruitment strategy. The club wanted to lower the age profile of the squad and bring in players capable of increasing in value under Emery, particularly after Villa had the second-oldest squad in the Premier League last season, behind only Fulham.
Another exciting youngster Villa considered signing was Real Madrid forward Endrick.
The Brazilian was open to leaving the Bernabeu on loan, with Villa and AS Roma among the clubs showing particular interest. However, discussions with Jose Mourinho ultimately played a role in Endrick deciding to remain at Real Madrid until at least January.
A loan could potentially become an option again during the winter window, particularly after his impressive spell at Lyon last season. For now, however, Villa have managed to replace much of the quality lost through their summer departures.
Whether Emery could find room for a player of Endrick’s calibre in January remains uncertain, although his arrival would undoubtedly represent another major coup for the club.
Endrick enjoyed a remarkable spell with Lyon after making just one La Liga appearance during the first half of last season. He registered 16 goal contributions in 21 appearances across all competitions for the French side.
Villa were clearly monitoring his situation, but they already possess considerable young talent within their squad, including 17-year-old centre-forward Brian Madjo.
From Villa’s perspective, that may be the most important takeaway. They did not need to force a deal for Endrick this summer. Instead, they have invested heavily in a group of young players who can develop under Emery and potentially become important assets for the club.
Mbaye, in particular, gives Villa another exciting attacking option, while the likes of Garnacho, Jackson and Manzambi ensure the squad has plenty of room to grow. If Endrick becomes available again in January, Villa can reassess the situation from a much stronger position.
