After a strong season under Unai Emery, Aston Villa head into the off-season with a renewed sense of optimism. We spoke to Charlie Haffenden of BirminghamWorld to gauge the mood around Villa Park.
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00:00After a strong season under Unai Emery, Aston Villa head into the off-season with a renewed sense of optimism.
00:10A strong run of solid performances and improved consistency has lifted spirits at Villa Park,
00:16with fans now cautiously hopeful about what's to come.
00:19The key question is whether the club can sustain this momentum into next season.
00:24This summer offers a crucial opportunity.
00:27Villa need to review their squad, make targeted additions in the transfer window and clarify their long-term ambitions.
00:36Will they build on Emery's project with this current core or will more significant changes be necessary to push further?
00:43With the Premier League growing ever more competitive, how Aston Villa manage the months ahead could prove pivotal
00:51in determining their trajectory of climbing higher up the table and continuing to battle for European football.
00:58We spoke to Charlie Haffenden of Birmingham World to gauge the mood around Villa Park and what's to come for the future.
01:05Yeah, let's just look ahead to the summer plans.
01:10Obviously, we've mentioned a number of times the core in terms of these players who've developed under Unai Emery is so important to keep hold of.
01:19The likes of Morgan Rodgers, they're going to be attracting attention.
01:22That's just the way it works.
01:23You have a great season for a club that maybe isn't quite at the very elite level yet.
01:28Then those elite teams do come knocking.
01:30And, you know, in terms of the summer, how important is it that they keep players as much as adding a few more top-class additions,
01:37if they can, obviously, with the financial restrictions?
01:40It is very important.
01:42Morgan Rodgers is the man you mentioned.
01:44It's been emerging that Chelsea are interested.
01:47But I think Chelsea are interested in most players that perform well for other Premier League clubs.
01:51It just happens every single season, doesn't it?
01:53Myself as a Brighton fan, it's happened with us and Chelsea in the past.
01:57It doesn't necessarily mean they're going to go and sign Morgan Rodgers.
02:00And what's to say that Rodgers would want to make that move anyway?
02:03He's from the West Midlands.
02:04He's near his family.
02:06He grew up around here.
02:07And he's loving his life at Villa, being a key player under Unai Emery.
02:11And it's more of a system player as well, Rodgers.
02:13Would he fit into the Chelsea system as well as he would Villa?
02:16I'm not too sure.
02:17But it's not just him.
02:18It's the likes of Uri Tielemans as well, Oli Watkins up front.
02:21Can we maybe see Watkins leave this summer?
02:24Is his time up at Villa?
02:26His form this season hasn't quite been as it was.
02:28Marcus Rashford at times before his injury took over in that striking position.
02:32There's talks of Emi Martinez potentially going to Saudi Arabia.
02:36Leon Bailey could also go to Saudi Arabia or Man United or Tottenham.
02:40There's a lot of talk of outgoings and not much for incomings at the moment.
02:44I think it's right that it's important that they get those decisions right as to who leaves.
02:48It's pretty common knowledge at this point that there will need to be a sale or two
02:52to try and make a bigger transfer kitty for Unai Emery to dig into.
02:58It's going to be a difficult one, I think, this summer for Villa
03:00because it feels unfair, doesn't it, that the team that's on the periphery of the Champions League,
03:05just about getting into it, like a Newcastle, for example,
03:08they're forced to make these big sales.
03:10Yet you've got Man City, who are spending a ridiculous amount every summer.
03:13Chelsea, Man United, they find ways to do it.
03:16Some sort of rule change needs to happen at some point soon because it's just not fair.
03:21But the reality is that they all need to make sales
03:23before they can even think about making new signings.
03:27And just on Aston Villa in terms of, you know, we're at the stage
03:30where the Premier League team this season, that sort of, we look at that
03:33and is there any sort of Villa players who could maybe realistically get in that
03:37or should be put forward from what you've seen this season?
03:39There's been some incredible, you know, performances individually across the entire campaign.
03:45I'd love to see someone like an Esri Konza get in the team,
03:48but I just can't see it when you've got lots of Virgil van Dijk stepping up
03:51and Murillo at Forest, Malenkovich at Forest.
03:54It's not quite going to be there.
03:55But Uri Tielemans, I think, has a shot of getting in the team.
03:58Been so, so consistent, playing every three or four days, no matter the competition.
04:03So we're talking about Premier League here.
04:04But in a division, he's been incredible.
04:06Recently, he's upped his output for goals and assists as well.
04:10I think in terms of the recency bias, he's in top form.
04:13I think fans elsewhere in the Premier League are starting to realise just how good he is.
04:17So I'd like to see Tielemans in there and I think he's got a fair shot.
04:20I think if you look at it on the whole and where Villa were a few seasons ago,
04:24they've taken another step this year, signing the likes of Asensio, Rashford.
04:28That wouldn't have been possible at that point in time
04:31and probably not even at the start of this season.
04:33The financial side, it's still a bit of a worry with PSR.
04:37Need to sort that out, maybe make a couple of sales this summer.
04:40But yeah, the reputation of the football club is certainly on the rise again.