What Aston Villa’s Champions League squad could look like after transfers and injury boosts

Aston Villa were frustrated in their attempts to make additions to Unai Emery’s squad before the summer window closed at 11pm on Friday night.

The last player Villa signed for Emery’s first-team was Amadou Onana from Everton back in July, and despite pushing to add more quality to their ranks, Villa were restricted due to their tight budget and lack of room in their squad. Lewis Dobbin, Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea have all left on loan since joining the club in June.

Ian Maatsen joined from Chelsea in a deal worth £37.5m, before Ross Barkley returned to the club on a permanent basis from Luton Town at the start of July. Douglas Luiz’s sale put Villa in the clear regarding the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) back in June following the sales of academy graduates Tim Iroegbunam and Omari Kellyman, before Moussa Diaby became the second high profile departure from Emery’s squad.

Less than a year after selling Jaden Philogene to Hull City, Villa activated a ‘matching rights’ option to re-sign the winger after Diaby accepted a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad. Villa were in the market to add another forward to their squad, namely Joao Felix, but a deal never materialised before the Portuguese joined Chelsea.

Villa were also keen to bring in a new defender in case Diego Carlos moved on and were in talks with Feyenoord over signing Lutsharel Geertruida for weeks. However, Carlos remained at the club after a move to Fulham fell through and Villa did not manage to get someone through the door.

Carlos is currently sidelined through injury, while Matty Cash has been ruled out for a month. It leaves Emery light on options at centre-back and right-back. Kosta Nedeljkovic, who won’t turn 19 until December, could feature heavily in the coming weeks.

In what is a big boost for Villa, Tyrone Mings returned to full training on Friday morning and could be available for selection as early as next month. Boubacar Kamara is expected to return to full training in the coming weeks as he also steps up his respective recovery from an ACL injury which he suffered back in February.

Villa will submit their 25-man Champions League squad in the coming days after their eight league phase opponents are now known. Villa will host Bayern Munich, Juventus, Celtic and Bologna, while they’ll travel to RB Leipzig, Young Boys, Club Brugge and AS Monaco.

Villa’s possible Champions League squad…

Goalkeepers: Martinez, Olsen, Gauci.

Defenders: Cash, Nedeljkovic, Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Mings, Digne, Maatsen.

Midfielders: Kamara, Onana, Barkley, McGinn, Tielemans, Bailey, Ramsey, Philogene.

Attackers: Watkins, Duran, Buendia, Rogers.