Unai Emery’s side upset the Premier League’s status quo last season to secure Champions League qualification. Are The Villans here to stay as a top-four side?
Premier League Season Preview 2024/25 – Aston Villa
Last season: 4th
Title odds: 50/1
TFF prediction: 7th
Transfers
In: Ian Maatsen, Samuel Iling-Junior, Lewis Dobbin, Enzo Barrachenea, Ross Barkley, Cameron Archer, Jaden Philogene, Amadou Onana.
Out: Douglas Luiz, Moussa Diaby, Tim Iroegbunam, Omari Kellyman, Morgan Sanson, Viljami Sinisalo, Calum Chambers (loan), Philippe Coutinho (loan), Lewis Dobbin (loan), Kaine Kesler-Hayden (loan), Filip Marschall (loan).
Aston Villa exceeded all expectations last season to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League. Unai Emery’s team pushed on from a solid start under the Spaniard’s management to secure their highest league finish since 1995-96 and a place in the Champions League for the first time since the early eighties.
The challenge now will be cementing the club’s place among England’s elite and turning the so-called ‘Big Six’ into a seven. It’s been a summer of change at Villa Park so far with a wealth of new arrivals, headlined by the £50m capture of Amadou Onana from Everton. The big Belgian will be tasked with filling the gap left by Douglas Luiz’s exit to Juventus, in a PSR-motivated transfer.
The Premier League is BACK this week. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/W5ZIOXmzSL
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 12, 2024
Ross Barkley has returned to Aston Villa after a previous loan spell in the Midlands, swapping the Championship for the Champions League after a career renaissance at Luton last season. Elsewhere, Ian Maatsen competed in last season’s Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund and adds attacking impetus from full-back, while the returning Jaden Philogene and Samuel Iling-Junior are players of rich promise.
Emery has helped his side turn Villa Park into a fortress and their home form will again be crucial, though Villa also returned the fourth-highest number of points on the road in 2023/24. That underlines the consistency of the side under Emery, who will hope his side can juggle the dual commitment of Champions League football and a top-four chase this time around.
Key player: Ollie Wakins
Much will hinge on Ollie Watkins. Last season’s leading scorer (19) also topped the Premier League for assists (13) in a career-best campaign for the 28-year-old.
His evolution into one of the most complete centre-forwards in the division has coincided with Villa’s improvement but there’s a lack of depth behind the England international.
Look who’s back. 👀 pic.twitter.com/ijCQ9C3r39
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 6, 2024
Jhon Duran has potential but has pushed for a move away and an injury to Watkins could spell trouble for Villa given his influence and the current absence of an alternative.
One to watch: Samuel Iling-Junior
Samuel Iling-Junior returns to English football four years after leaving Chelsea’s academy set-up to sign for Juventus. The 20-year-old made 45 senior appearances for the Turin side across the last two seasons, scoring twice, and won the Coppa Italia in 2023/24.
An option at wing-back or further forward, Iling-Junior has scored twice in five caps for England at u-21 level and will be keen to prove himself to a Premier League audience.
He formed part of the England side that won the u-19 European Championship in 2022, alongside ex-Villa academy players Carney Chukwuemeka, Aaron Ramsey and Tim Iroegbunam.
