Aston Villa’s rise to the Premier League over the past few years has been nothing short of remarkable, with Unai Emery deserving of much credit for his work in the West Midlands.
The Spaniard has taken the Villans from a mid-table outfit to a challenger in Europe – as evidenced by their ability to finish in the top seven in the last four seasons.
His achievements at Villa Park were made even greater when he tried to break into the club’s transfer business – which often sees key players sold to balance books.
The likes of Moussa Diaby, Douglas Luiz and John Duran have all been sold since the summer of 2024 alone, making his success in recent seasons all the more remarkable.
However, Emery will have to work his magic again this summer, especially after the news of one key player leaving the club ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
How will Aston Villa cope without Youri Tielemans
Villa fans will be in shock and disappointment earlier this week, after it was confirmed that Youri Tielemans will be leaving the club after three years in the West Midlands.
Premier League side Manchester United activated his £35m release clause midway through his contract, leaving Emery’s side with no choice but to cash in on his services.
Losing the Belgian’s top scorer will be a blow for the Villans, but how do you go about shutting down a player as powerful as the 29-year-old?
Villa’s midfield has been an area of concern even before Tielemans’ departure, with Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara both out until at least the start of 2027 with knee injuries.
|
Most minutes spent by Villa CMs in PL (2025/26) |
|
|---|---|
|
The player |
Minutes |
|
Youri Tielemans |
1862 |
|
Amado Onana |
1764 |
|
Boubacar Kamara |
1418 |
|
Lamare Bogarde |
1047 |
|
Victor Lindelof |
944 |
|
Douglas Luiz |
923 |
|
Ross Barkley |
852 |
Luiz spent the second half of last season on loan at Villa Park, but will not return after it was confirmed that the option to buy in the Brazilian’s contract will not be triggered.
As a result, the only midfield that currently exists is manager Victor Lindelof and Lamare Bogarde – two players who started 22 league games between them last term.
There’s no denying that Emery’s men desperately need to delve into the transfer market to try and add options – especially if the club is to compete across the board in 2026/27.
How Aston Villa can replace Tielemans
Despite Tielemans’ departure being confirmed yesterday afternoon, Villa have already worked out potential additions in detail ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Freiburg star Johan Manzambi is one of the players who could join the Villans after an agreement with the German club to sign the Swiss player.
A fee in the region of €60m (£52m) has been raised for the 20-year-old, but the manager is showing no signs of slowing down over the past few days.
It has been reported by Sporx via Sport Witness that Emery’s side are preparing a €30m (£25m) bid to sign Galatasaray midfielder Gabriel Sara this summer.
The report claims that Villa will release the aforementioned offer before the end of the week, but it remains unclear whether the Turkish outfit would be happy with the offer for the 27-year-old.
It’s not the first time the Brazilian has been linked with Villa Park, and Sara is a player who is clearly highly regarded by the staff in the West Midlands.
His statistics from the recent campaign in Turkey highlight his quality, which could also allow Emery to find his next version of the recently departed Belgian.
The 27-year-old Galatasaray midfielder has created 2.7 good chances out of 90 this campaign, 0.4 of which are classified as big chances created.
Both of the aforementioned figures place him in the top 5% of midfielders in Europe this term, following Tielemans in being able to consistently create opportunities for those around him.
Sara also completed 2.4 crosses out of 90 in 2025/26 – a rate higher than 98% of players in his position and again confirmed his incredible passing ability.
Off the ball this season, the former Norwich City talent has been equally influential, as evidenced by his 56% ground clearance and 3.6 possessions per 90.
The aforementioned figures are also higher than those produced by the Tielemans – which would give Villa an all-round option at the heart of the team next season and beyond.
£25m would be the best deal for Villa this summer, as the club will be looking to get a player who can completely fill the void left by the Belgium international.
Should he come anywhere near the levels produced by the 29-year-old in the West Midlands, there’s no reason why Sara can’t be the latest player to capture the hearts of the Villa faithful.
