Aston Villa’s £150m spending spree sees new look XI – but unwanted Pep Guardiola signing warned to stay away
Aston Villa have been on a summer splurge this transfer window to make sure their ceiling-smashing season isn't a flash in the pan.
Aston Villa stunned the Premier League last season when they broke into the top four to land a Champions League spot.
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It is testament to Unai Emery's coaching skills, having taken over from Steven Gerrard in October 2022 with the club battling to stay out of the relegation zone to now making them a European outfit.
The summer did not start well, though, with the departure of key player Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £43million, one of the mainstays in Emery's side that propelled them to glory with nine league goals in 35 appearances.
Premier League PSR rules, though, stipulated that Villa had to make money quickly and they have also sold academy aces Omari Kellyman and Tim Iroegbunam to bolster their coffers.
Saudi Arabia also called with Moussa Diaby departing after one season at Villa Park in a move to Al Ittihad for £55m while Morgan Sanson, Calum Chambers and Viljami Sinisalo have also left on permanent deals.
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In total, it has seen Villa make around £150m - but that money has been put to good use almost immediately with £153.5m spent in total.
Two major signings have been made in Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen, both of whom had brilliant seasons with Everton and Borussia Dortmund respectively.
Onana, who Manchester United were looking at, had been a lynchpin of Sean Dyche's midfield and a regular in the Belgium national team, who is renowned for his defensive acumen and positional play.
While Maatsen helped Borussia Dortmund reach the Champions League final after joining on loan from Chelsea and had been linked with a move to Bayern Munich.
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Villa also completed a shrewd move for Ross Barkley, who left Luton Town following their relegation to the Championship, for a modest fee, returning to the club he joined on loan in 2020.
With Champions League football on the horizon, and the competition undergoing major changes, Emery will be in need of squad options and has sufficiently bolster the team with several high-potential youngsters.
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Academy product Cameron Archer re-signed for Villa following one year at Sheffield United, who he could not save from relegation, and will provide back-up to Ollie Watkins up front.
Another player returning to the club is Jaden Philogene, who left Hull City this summer after one season to re-join Villa like Archer, and had been chased by Premier League rivals like Everton and Ipswich Town.
Also joining include former Juventus duo Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenchea, as well as Lewis Dobbin from Everton, who have all showed tremendous promise and could be the next big stars under Emery.
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But Villa's summer revamp might not stop there and an audacious move for Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix remains the dream, who could elevate the club to another level if his world-class potential is realised.
The Portugal international joined Atletico in 2019 for a stunning £113m - a Spanish record - but has since been away on loans to Chelsea and Barcelona with Diego Simeone happy to get rid of the 24-year-old.
The dazzling forward might not be the best fit at the Wanda Metropolitano with Simeone preferring work-rate over flair and Emery might be the right coach to get the best out of the 2019 Golden Boy award winner.
There are also links with Manchester City wantaway star Kalvin Phillips, whose loan to West Ham last season did not do him any favours after a poor stint in London.
That has not put Villa off, though, and a loan bid is being prepared for the England international to rescue him from the Etihad, where Pep Guardiola is happy to get rid after just 16 Premier League appearances in two seasons.
However, Villa legend and talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor does not believe the former Leeds United star gets in the Villa starting XI and only works as a squad option.
He told talkSPORT: "When you look at that position that Kalvin Phillips plays, you look at [Boubacar] Kamara, who had bad knee ligaments in February so he could have a few months left to come back.
"When he is fit, Kamara starts. But he might take three months or more to get back so we do need a bit more in that position and we've got so many options in midfield.
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"You've got [Youri] Tielemans, you've got Barrenchea, you've got [John] McGinn, [Jacob] Ramsey, Barkley, Onana.
"But if you talk about midfielders that are going to be that no.6, get the ball back, start off the attacks, aggressive getting the ball back and being physical, Kamara was our main man.
"To lose him and to sell Luiz, who was a different sort of midfielder, a loan, make sense? Why not? You can bring him in, there is no guarantee that he will start. He doesn't start in Aston Villa's best XI.
"But he is an option, especially with Kamara, you don't know how his injury is going to be when he comes back, so I don't mind it as an option, it is a loan so I don't see a reason why not."
Whether or not Phillips gets into the Villa XI should he sign remains to be seen but his prospective arrival would give Emery more steel in midfield, a position weakened after Luiz's departure.
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However, it is in defence where Villa might need to strengthen with Matty Cash the only senior option at right-back other than Kaine Kesler-Hayden, who has only made three Premier League appearances.
In attack, Felix would provide a much-needed replacement for Saudi sale Diaby, while Morgan Rogers impressed with three goals after his mid-season switch from Middlesbrough last campaign.
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Aston Villa summer signings
Amadou Onana, signed from Everton for £50m
Ian Maatsen, signed from Chelsea for £37.5m
Jaden Philogene, signed from Hull City for £18m
Cameron Archer, signed from Sheffield United for £15m
Lewis Dobbin, signed from Everton for £10m
Samuel Iling-Junior, signed from Juventus for £9m
Enzo Barrenchea, signed from Juventus for £9m
Ross Barkley, signed from Luton Town for £5m
Total: £153.5m