Latest news with #Monchi
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Emery, Vidagany and Monchi: Inside Aston Villa's power triangle
'What makes him so good is that his intuition is second to none,' says agent Kenneth Asquez. He's describing Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo, better known in football as Monchi and a man he has known for more than two decades. Monchi is among football's most renowned sporting directors, having successfully transitioned from a nine-year playing career as Sevilla's backup goalkeeper to an administrative position at that La Liga club, where he worked with a manager named Unai Emery. Advertisement They were reunited in June 2023 when Monchi joined Aston Villa, having been at Sevilla together from 2013 to 2016, and they have now formed a 'triangle of power' alongside the club's director of football operations, Damian Vidagany. Ahead of an important summer for Villa, The Athletic spoke to more than 20 people, including agents, coaches, executives and other staff, to better understand the balance of power at the club and how it impacts transfer strategy… Emery, Monchi and Vidagany share an extremely close relationship. Their offices at Bodymoor Heath, Villa's training ground, connect and the three of them eat breakfast and lunch together most days. 'Monchi and Vidagany spend so much time with Emery that they know what he thinks and what he wants,' says Asquez. 'What used to happen in England was that managers saw a sporting director as a threat. If you're a proper sporting director, you're not a threat, you're an asset. It's to help the workload.' Multiple sources, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, joked that whenever you see Monchi, invariably Vidagany is not far behind — and vice versa. 'Monchi goes everywhere with Damian because his English is not very good,' says one friend. Vidagany also accompanies Emery to media interviews and helps translate any questions he does not fully grasp. Though Monchi's still working on his English, he is unafraid to speak in front of audiences. Before Champions League fixtures last season, there would be a meal attended by executives from the two teams. Monchi would make a speech at these gatherings, welcoming opponents to the Midlands. He is described as an emotional and reactive character, yet quieter than Vidagany. 'Monchi's a philosopher,' one agent remarks. 'He references history, philosophy and religious books during meetings. He's a very religious deep-thinker.' Advertisement 'The football side of the club is brilliant. The Spanish are gents and top class,' one senior executive at another Premier League club tells The Athletic. While Emery is an affable figure, his huge workload means he prefers to concentrate solely on his Villa team. This is when Monchi and Vidagany step in and, especially in the latter's case, provide the conduit. The pair are responsible for keeping the club's owners, Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, briefed and helping direct them on decisions. (Head of emerging talent and loans, Adam Henshall, is involved in some meetings and is highly thought of, too, with agents stating he could one day be an effective sporting director.) Several people we spoke to described Villa as 'two clubs' — the football department and the off-field management. The football side has amassed significant autonomy to make all sporting decisions. They work from the main building at Bodymoor Heath, just outside Birmingham. Off-field employees are dotted around the country, including Villa's central London office near Oxford Circus. The power base at Villa is different from that at Sevilla, when Emery and Monchi won three Europa Leagues in as many seasons. Fundamentally, authority was more evenly split there. With Villa, Monchi's role is to facilitate Emery's wishes. This was made clear last summer when he listed four key objectives. 'First, to find a solution for the PSR (the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules). That's the most important,' Monchi said in September 2024. 'Second, to have a younger squad. Three, to have a deeper squad. And the fourth is to be aligned with what Unai wants.' 'Monchi would tell you openly that the best manager he's had at Sevilla was Unai,' says a close contact of the sporting director, 'because he's the manager who would get the highest performance out of players and that allowed him to sell at peak prices. He (Monchi) was more in charge at Sevilla, but now his role is to assist and provide Emery with options.' Advertisement That said, Monchi does have a leading influence when signing 'project players' — ones who may be initially unknown to Emery. Especially during a transfer window, Monchi — who is supported by family members working at the club, such as his son, Alejandro — will be spotted on his phone at all hours, even taking calls outside the Villa dressing room after matches, or in regular meetings abroad with players' families and agents. Broadly speaking, his approach has two recruitment phases: gross tracking and net tracking. The former is in the months before a window, scouting widely to forge a picture of the standout players. Gradually, this is refined into a definitive list of players to pursue as the process moves into the net tracking phase. Player tracking includes studying home and away games, against varying strengths of opposition and also international matches if applicable, with Monchi leaning on members of his recruitment team to watch players at different stages (seeing them six or seven times), hoping to remove biases and ensure neutrality. '(Former Brazil full-back) Dani Alves wasn't picked out with data before he joined Sevilla,' says a close contact of Monchi. 'That was through watching him. He has a large but close circle of friends whom he trusts and they would tip him off. He doesn't use data to point the finger at a player. The data is information that allows him to be present at many stadiums. 'Monchi went to sign Kevin-Prince Boateng at Hertha Berlin, but the asking fee was more than what Sevilla wanted to pay. On the way home from Germany, Monchi stopped in France and they bought an unknown Lens player called Seydou Keita. A year later, he joined Pep Guardiola's Barcelona.' Vidagany and Monchi are integral cogs in the overall operation, but they are assisted by a cohort of analysts, scouts and recruitment staff. In the wake of global director of football development Johan Lange and head of scouting Rob MacKenzie moving to Tottenham Hotspur in October 2023, along with some other personnel, Villa remain in the process of revamping their scouting system. One change under Monchi is that department staff are now being asked to focus on specific regions. Under the previous regime, it was more fluid, with them mixing across different parts of the world. Advertisement Villa are also reshaping the upstairs rooms at Bodymoor Heath. The plan is to move the data insights department into the office next to Monchi, encouraging effective collaboration and making it easier to discuss private matters. Head of recruitment Bryn Davies is in charge of the data team and their work feeds into Monchi. Emery, Monchi, Davies and the latter's staff will present and discuss potential signings. Vidagany does not have a say on which players Villa bring in, his job is to act on who the recruitment personnel decide to go for. After Emery speaks on the positions he wants, those targets are then whittled down. It is not uncommon for Villa's recruitment team to initially have a hundred possible targets for one position. Emery will select a few who interest him and ask for further checks. At other times, he will bring a player to their attention. Data is important, but it's used to inform, not dictate. It can help flag players who are on the system, which, if the numbers are good, allows Villa to watch them live, accompanied by background checks on their character, mentality and whether they suit Emery's environment. In the case of Marcus Rashford, their winter-window loan signing from Manchester United, Villa made calls to close observers. Background checks came back favourably. Monchi and Davies are deft at discussing targets with Emery, who will, at times, cede ground if some of the players he wants do not show up well on reports. Emery tends not to care how old they are or what league they play in, so long as they are good enough. If a player he does not know is presented well to him — Jhon Duran's acquisition from Chicago Fire of MLS at age 19 being a case in point — he will sanction the move. Like Emery, Monchi is receptive to the new wave of data if the case is presented effectively. Often, the best way to do this is with presentations using fewer words and more images. He will, however, challenge the numbers shown to him. He then has a wealth of connections to take mooted deals forward. 'He is absolutely spot-on and has an aura,' says one colleague. 'He is the best I've worked with and has a good heart.' Vidagany is Emery's eyes and ears, a bridge between all footballing departments and between the dressing room and management. He met Emery at Valencia, where he was manager from 2008 to 2012. Vidagany, a journalist in his previous life, worked in the club's media and marketing section. Today, his office sits between the manager's and Monchi's. Advertisement 'Damian can make people feel 10 feet tall,' a Villa employee says. 'He is a great communicator, can put an arm round a player, explaining why they were left out, or rave about their performances.' Vidagany wants every staff member to enjoy coming into work. If they do, he reasons they will be more effective at their jobs, more accepting of long hours and create an upwardly mobile culture. Staff approach him with issues or just to chat. To boost morale, he encourages regular internal promotions to ensure the British workers feel as valued as Emery's Spanish contingent. This is to guard against any sense of a divide at Villa. In truth, Vidagany's remit is all-encompassing, ranging from meetings when Emery organises them — sometimes at short notice and sometimes when he has to be strong enough to calm the manager down — to discussing logistical dilemmas around Bodymoor Heath or knowing the costs of renovations. He also takes seriously the need to defend Villa when they sense they are under external scrutiny. Last season, Vidagany regularly posted online after he felt Villa were under pressure from other clubs or on the wrong end of officiating decisions. Vidagany is in charge of negotiations, which is regarded as his strongest attribute, but he is also an engaging, talkative character and makes an effort to invite contacts to the training ground for breakfast or lunch. 'He is a great host,' says one agent. 'Damian has a good awareness of players' emotions. He has apologised to players in the past if he feels Villa have made an error, but doesn't sugarcoat anything.' Players' families also appreciate when Monchi and Vidagany are involved in contracts and there are instances of them stepping in at the latter stages of academy-level deals if required. Every few days, the pair update the owners, who ask to be kept informed on transfers and contracts, whether it's about the first team or junior age groups. Villa's power base is undoubtedly geared around Emery. Monchi and Vidagany are facilitators, there to implement footballing strategy. And though the club's transfer windows can be volatile, largely owing to PSR, there is now a stable framework for on-field success.
New York Times
7 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Aston Villa Transfer DealSheet: Summer window latest, key targets and likely exits
In crushing fashion, Aston Villa's summer strategy became clear. Missing out on Champions League qualification on goal difference (due, in part, to a controversial refereeing decision on the final day) meant that Villa's decision-makers could firm up the plan for the type of budget and recruitment for the transfer window. Advertisement Villa will lose out on a minimum of £30million ($40.7m) — potentially a maximum of £100m — but, regardless, Villa knew player sales would have to compensate for the deficit in the finances, having suffered more than £200m in losses in the previous two yearly accounts. While they will not suffer the repercussions on their top five failure until the next set of accounts (those due in June 2026), who they sell has to be taken into account. The Athletic has spoken to multiple sources on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to talk, to explain the landscape. Manager Unai Emery has the final say but his close circle — including Monchi, president of football operations, president of football operations, Damian Vidagany, Adam Henshall, head of emerging talent and loans and head of recruitment Bryn Davies — present a list of targets and positions being sought. They are assisted by Villa's data team. Villa need to noticeably reduce the wage bill to comply with UEFA's financial limits, which restrict spending on 'player and coach wages and transfers and agent fees to 70 per cent of the club's revenue' from the 2025-26 season onwards. They are expected to incur a substantial fine from UEFA following last season's breaches. This year, Villa have to fall below 80 per cent, but were above the 90 per cent limit in 2023-24. Only Arsenal's wage growth was higher than Villa's last season, so there is an acceptance that squad costs have to reduce, which further affects the budget. There is an expectation that before the June 30 PSR deadline, which marks the end of the financial year, will not be as turbulent as 12 months ago. In some respects, UEFA's Squad Cost Rules (SCR) — with Villa participating in the Europa League next season — is more alarming. Complying with PSR forces Villa to acknowledge that sales are a necessity as costs are higher than revenues. Only Chelsea (£431.3m) have lost more on a day-to-day basis in the previous two years, discounting player sales. Recruitment figures accept market conditions, influenced by PSR, means they will need to pivot between targets. Villa's scouting team have planned for a multitude of scenarios — this includes shortlisting what players replace certain departures. Villa are likely to be shopping for a lower tier of player, in a transfer fee and salary sense. This does not suggest players are second, third and maybe fourth options — it means the recruitment team will have to be cannier in spotting high-potential, lower-cost players. Advertisement Potential suitors are aware of Villa's PSR deadline and, similarly to last season, will attempt to take advantage through lowball offers. Villa intend to strengthen at right-sided centre-back and right-back — though the £5m January signing of Andres Garcia from Levante has provided a source of pride among sources inside the club. Goalkeeping options in the event Emiliano Martinez departs are being explored. They need to replace his deputy, Robin Olsen, who will leave at the end of his contract in July. Emery is short in wide areas and a striker to replace or provide high-end competition to Ollie Watkins would be preferable, though much is dependent on outgoings. If Lucas Digne leaves, Villa will assess left-backs. The same is true in central midfield and No 10 positions. Feyenoord forward Zepiqueno Redmond is scheduled to join Villa at the start of July. The 18-year-old is out of contract at the Dutch side and visited Birmingham with his representatives less than a fortnight ago. Villa had aimed to recruit a young forward following Jhon Duran's departure in January. Redmond has only played four Eredivisie games and is expected to begin with the under-21s. Like most other Premier League sides, Villa have watched Southampton's Tyler Dibling. Meanwhile, Lille's Lucas Chevalier is among those on the radar to replace Martinez. Another player who has Premier League interest is Hellas Verona's Diego Coppola. At 21 and a right-sided central defender, he would fit the profile of player Villa want. The Athletic reported in April that Villa were frontrunners to land highly-rated Sverre Nypan from Rosenborg. Recruitment staff made trips to Norway to monitor Nypan, with lots of work going into convincing the player — who counts Arsenal and Girona as admirers — of Villa's project. Advertisement Presentations have been shown to him and the family, outlining plans to integrate him into Emery's set-up. Despite protracted conversations, no agreement has been reached. Villa retain the option to make Marco Asensio's loan from Paris Saint-Germain permanent. The 29-year-old, who would become one of the highest earners, wants to continue working with Emery. Villa have a lot of saleable assets and most players have seen their values appreciate. Martinez's exit could solve the most headaches, with the Argentina No 1 fetching a sizeable fee. He is the highest earner of any permanent player and would alleviate PSR and UEFA SCR concerns. If Martinez was to move to a European club — having received interest from Saudi Arabia in 2024 — it would require chain-like transfer activity, with the goalkeeper replacing another from a big European side and so on. Villa have yet to formally receive interest. To solve UEFA's SCR, Digne is an option. Villa would not receive a huge fee for the left-back, but he is on £120,000 a week and has 12 months left on his contract. Ideally, Villa would continue with Digne challenging Ian Maatsen, but PSR means Villa cannot carry multiple top-level players for one spot. Villa accepted they had to sell Duran or Watkins in January and although the former ended up leaving, they were not opposed to the latter departing. This is pertinent this summer, with Watkins expecting clarity on his future. Arsenal are monitoring his situation. Digne knows regular football is paramount if he is to be selected in France's squad for next year's World Cup. Villa had delayed discussions over his future and a possible contract until they learned what European competition they would be. Talks over a new contract for Tyrone Mings will take place. Leon Bailey has long-standing interest from Saudi dating back to when Villa sold Moussa Diaby to Al Ittihad last summer. Manchester United and others held preliminary talks in January, having known Villa were keen to sell. His representatives have been in contact with clubs in the Middle East. Advertisement A long-term contract is on the table for Boubacar Kamara. Other clubs have contacted the players' representatives, asking to be kept informed but Kamara wants to stay in the Premier League and while talks have progressed, there was an expectation he would wait until he knew if Villa would be in the Champions League. Kamara is a huge admirer of Emery and is widely regarded by multiple sources as Villa's best player. Morgan Rogers is the most valuable asset. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has had a stellar 18 months since signing from Middlesbrough and has multiple admirers. He would command a vast fee having signed a new deal this season. Jacob Ramsey has long-standing interest from elsewhere in the Premier League and, as an academy graduate, would represent pure bookable profit. Crucially, though, Ramsey's salary is manageable and Villa need to fulfil the 'homegrown' or 'club-trained' quota when registering their squad for the Europa League. This will be taken into consideration with Lamare Bogarde, who provides useful squad depth and is club-trained, but a sale would help with PSR. Villa will try, again, to cancel Philippe Coutinho's contract. He has been on loan at Vasco da Gama but still has 12 more months left on his deal. Other players attempting to be moved on include Leander Dendoncker. He has been on loan at Anderlecht but the Belgian club have decided against exercising the clause to sign him. He has interest from clubs in the Gulf. Bayer Leverkusen are not taking up the option to sign Emiliano Buendia, who spent the second half of the campaign in Germany. Kaine Kesler-Hayden, who won Preston North End's player of the year following an excellent loan, is expected to join a Championship side or lower-end Premier League team. Left-back Alex Moreno fell down the pecking order on loan at Nottingham Forest, with Villa open to offers. Villa signed Enzo Barrenechea from Juventus last summer but he spent the campaign on loan at Valencia, where he has impressed and the 23-year-old would provide a profit on the €11m paid last year. Advertisement Samuel Iling-Junior will hold talks in the coming weeks with game time a priority for all parties. After signing last summer he spent the season with Bologna and then Middlesbrough. This season's under-18s group will have interest after becoming the second youth team in history to complete the treble behind Chelsea. Villa won the FA Youth Cup and the Under-18 Premier League South title before ending the season with national final success against Manchester City. Who leaves on loan depends on the coaching staff's sense of each player's needs; whether they are better served experiencing first-team football or continuing to develop internally. Further loans are on the cards for Sil Swinkels, Lewis Dobbin, James Wright, Josh Feeney and Kadan Young. (Top image: Martinez and Watkins could both leave this summer; Getty Images)
New York Times
02-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Aston Villa confirm ex-Juventus exec Francesco Calvo as president of business operations
Aston Villa have confirmed the appointment of Francesco Calvo as president of business operations. The Athletic revealed in April that Calvo's predecessor, Chris Heck, was leaving the club at the end of the season. Heck officially left his role at the end of May. Calvo, meanwhile, is set to join in July and will be responsible for leading the club's off the field commercial and business strategy, and tasked with increasing the club's overall revenue. Advertisement Calvo joins Villa after resigning from his position as chief football officer at Juventus in May, having first joined the Italian club in 2011 as commercial director before being promoted to chief revenue officer in 2014. From 2015 to 2018, he held the same position at Barcelona but then moved to Roma, where he briefly worked with Villa's president of football operations, Monchi. The pair will reunite in the Midlands and enjoy a strong working relationship. Calvo's experience across some of Europe's biggest clubs appealed to Villa, alongside his strong track record for working with fanbases. The aim is to build a stronger relationship between the football and business departments. 'It is a great honour for me to join this club at such an exciting time,' Calvo said. 'Everyone in football knows the history of and passionate support for Aston Villa. 'In the past few years, we've seen this begin to be matched by success on the pitch and progress off it under the ambitious ownership of V Sports. I look forward to working with the chairman, the board, Unai Emery and everyone at Aston Villa to continue driving this great institution forward.' ()
New York Times
26-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Breaking down the decision Aston Villa felt cost them the Champions League
Hands glued behind his back, Unai Emery stood motionless at full-time and his eyes transfixed on one man. Emery did not move from the moment referee Thomas Bramall blew the whistle for the final time in Aston Villa's season until, some while later, his stillness was broken by the other officials, prompting the Villa manager to head towards the tunnel. Advertisement Director of football operations, Damian Vidagany, and Monchi, president of football operations, had intercepted Emery, but the Spaniard followed Bramall down the long tunnel, protesting the sense of injustice against his team. This was a tale of more Old Trafford woe for Villa — now three wins in 30 visits — but this time, Villa were enraged by one refereeing error that, in their eyes, ultimately led to the club missing out on Champions League qualification. The Athletic explains what happened and the potential ramifications… Three minutes ended up defining Villa's season. It started in the 74th minute when Manchester United's goalkeeper Altay Bayindir rushed out of his goal to pick up a straightforward ball from Harry Maguire's defensive header. Morgan Rogers, however, stole in before Bayindir had collected cleanly. Rogers nudged the ball past Bayindir, who had only one hand on the ball, before scoring into an empty net. Crucially, though, Bramall had already blown his whistle to signal a foul before Rogers had scored, meaning the video assistant referee (VAR) could not intervene and overturn the decision. Had Rogers' goal stood, Villa would have taken the lead, strengthening their grip on a Champions League position and three points in front of Newcastle United, who went on to lose to Everton. This incident left Villa's players and coaching staff incandescent, furiously protesting the decision. Amad Diallo then headed in three minutes later to put United a goal ahead. Villa were eventually defeated 2-0, ending the season in sixth place, with Emery sarcastically applauding Bramall after awarding United a penalty for a foul on Amad. He took a seat on an Old Trafford step in seeming resignation, accepting Villa would instead qualify for the Europa League. The Athletic revealed Villa intended to make an official complaint to the Premier League that a more experienced referee was not selected to officiate a game of such magnitude. An official club statement came later on Sunday evening, confirming they had written to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body which organises officiating in England: 'With such high stakes surrounding today's fixture, the club believe a more experienced referee should have been appointed,' the statement read.' Of the 10 referees to officiate across the Premier League today, Mr. Bramall was the 2nd least experienced. Advertisement 'The decision to disallow Morgan Rogers' goal, which would have given the club a 1-0 lead with 17 minutes remaining in the match, was a major contributing factor to the club not qualifying for the Champions League. 'As per the standards that have been established over the course of the season, a decision to whistle early is clearly inconsistent with current refereeing guidelines. VAR exists to ensure that these types of situations receive the scrutiny they deserve. Unfortunately, the technology was not allowed to serve its purpose. 'Ultimately, we acknowledge that the outcome for us will not change, but we believe that it is important to address the selection methodology to ensure that high stakes matches are treated as such with regards to officiating and to ensure that the implemented VAR technology is allowed to be effective.' Bramall, 35, was promoted to Select Group 1, the highest level for referees in England, before the 2022-23 campaign. This season, he has refereed in both the Premier League and Championship, overseeing 11 in the top flight and 12 in the second tier, according to Transfermarkt. PGMOL, the body which organises officiating in England, has been approached for comment. From Villa's perspective, senior figures and staff can accept a human error, even if the decision defined their season and meant they missed out on securing Champions League income, essential to summer plans and their profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) predicament. The broader issue in the club's eyes was PGMOL's lack of preventative measures, such as selecting a more experienced referee given the high stakes involved in the fixture. Villa's hierarchy spoke to PGMOL technical director Howard Webb at full-time and the former Premier League referee expressed sympathy for Villa's complaints. Advertisement 'The complaint is not about the decision, it is about the decision of the experience of the referee,' Vidagany said in Emery's post-match press conference. 'The problem is that why the international referees weren't here today.' 'I think he is a young referee who has progressed very quickly,' captain John McGinn told TNT Sports. 'Maybe we could look at having more experienced referees. I don't know. It's just an incredible decision and makes today even worse than it should be. 'I know the rule but it's hard on us. For him to blow his whistle at that point, it's really, really tough to handle. It's a really costly one. We only needed a point to reach the Champions League.' Some Villa sources, who have spoken on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, admit their expectation heightened following Newcastle's defeat. In retrospect, Villa only required a point at Old Trafford to qualify for the Champions League. Bramall alternates officiating between the Premier League and the second-tier Championship, in which there is no VAR, so a referee does not have to wait for an attacking move to reach its natural conclusion before blowing their whistle. Yet there is also an acknowledgement that Villa did not deserve to win. Emery admitted the performance 'was disappointing', while McGinn insisted United 'absolutely deserved to win'. Villa failed to register a shot in the first half in an oddly cautious and error-strewn showing. Matty Cash's poor backpass led to Emiliano Martinez's red card on the stroke of half time, with Villa having toiled from a structural standpoint before the sending off. VAR guidelines state that as long as a referee has not blown his whistle before a goal is scored or an offence has occurred, it can intervene. If the referee has already blown before the ball has crossed the line, like Bramall mistakenly did, there is nothing VAR can do. This may seem jarring given the complaints which followed after Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi suffered a ruptured intestine when colliding with the post earlier this month. Advertisement Awoniyi had failed to get on the end of Anthony Elanga's cross, but the goal would not have stood due to an offside in the build-up. On that occasion, the assistant referee, under instruction, allowed the move to play out, only to then raise the flag once it had come to a natural conclusion. At Old Trafford, the inverse happened, with Bramall stopping play before Rogers could score. 'The key moment was the goal of Morgan Rogers and how the referee, in that moment, decided this action,' said Emery. 'He whistled and he needed to have it under his control, waiting for VAR because VAR was coming.' Yes. And, ironically and painfully again, to Villa. Away to Crystal Palace in 2019, midfielder Henri Lansbury seemed to have converted a low shot into the far corner. But referee Kevin Friend had blown his whistle for simulation, with Jack Grealish going down in the box just before. Grealish protested that he had never appealed for the penalty, but Villa's captain was booked. With Friend having already blown his whistle before Lansbury's strike, the Premier League confirmed the VAR, Andrew Madley, had been unable to 'check the goal'. This similarly drew the ire of players and travelling supporters, who were denied both a crucial goal and an opportunity for the VAR to review the decision. Aside from becoming the first team outside of the traditional 'Big Six' to qualify for the Champions League in successive seasons, Villa will lose out on a minimum of £30million in income, potentially rising upwards of £100m. This would have helped to offset the current deficit in the club's finances, having suffered over £200m in losses in the previous two yearly accounts. Europa League money helps, though it is incomparable to Champions League riches. Less money means less revenue, so, until Villa's other commercial revenue streams catch up, the large hole in the finances has to be covered by player sales. Players were required to be sold regardless of whether Villa secured Champions League football for another campaign. Staying in line with PSR — which dictates teams cannot incur losses of over £105m over a three-year period — forms a critical part of the club's thinking. This is especially relevant when it comes to UEFA's financial limits, which restrict spending on 'player and coach wages and transfers and agent fees to 70 per cent of the club's revenue' from the 2025-26 season onwards. This year, Villa have to fall below 80 per cent, having been above the 90 per cent limit in the 2023-24 campaign. Martinez, Leon Bailey, Boubacar Kamara, Jacob Ramsey and Ollie Watkins have suitors, while there is interest in Rogers. There have also been examples of Villa delaying contract talks until they knew what budget they would have, while some players had been waiting to learn whether they would be playing in Europe's blue-chip competition next season. The after-effects of Sunday's controversial defeat will be felt for some time. (Top photos: TNT Sports;)
New York Times
08-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Aston Villa's summer transfer window: What we're hearing
May has become an increasingly important month at Aston Villa. It is when Unai Emery and his close circle of decision-makers — including Monchi, president of football operations, head of recruitment Bryn Davies and Aston Villa's data team — present a list of player targets and positions being actively sought. In those discussions, a clear consensus will emerge. Data on certain candidates will be shown to Emery, with Villa's manager sharing his thoughts. This invariably leads to the squad's framework and potential departures. Villa have an outline of the type of summer window they envisage. But, in truth, club sources who, like all consulted for this article, spoke on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, accept there are several unknowns — including the futures of long-serving trio Emiliano Martinez, Ollie Watkins and Tyrone Mings, plus loan duo Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio. The most decisive unknown is whether Villa qualify for the Champions League again. This will determine the squad's size — if they fail to, Villa will reduce the wage bill, even more than intended, and the number of players to avoid anyone becoming disgruntled with a lack of game time. This will influence the bracket of player signed too. The opportunity of working with Emery carries significant pull for but others prefer only Champions League clubs. Consequently, Villa's senior figures remain unsure of how much money they will have to spend until the Premier League is concluded. Staying in line with profit and sustainability regulations (PSR) — which dictates teams cannot incur losses of more than £105million over a three-year period — requires players to be sold, given that with costs higher than revenues, the deficit will need to be covered. There is an expectation that the early weeks of the window, before the June 30 PSR deadline which marks the end of the financial year, will not be quite as turbulent as last, though Villa need to be proactive. The 2024 summer saw a series of separate transactions between clubs to help navigate PSR, with players traded between Villa and Everton, Juventus and Chelsea. Villa have large assets, with their standing meaning they can negotiate significant fees. This happened with Jhon Duran in January; had Villa been a mid-table side and Duran had not scored the goals he did in the Champions League, they would not have been able to command a package worth €77million (£64.5m; $87.5m) from Al Nassr. Villa admit they simply could not countenance selling Duran and Watkins, even if the latter's departure remained a possibility. He is a boyhood Arsenal fan and conversations were had about a move to north London. Villa were not totally opposed to the idea. Before Rashford's injury, Watkins was left out of the two crunch Champions League quarter-final legs against Paris Saint-Germain, with the 29-year-old admitting he 'was fuming' with so little involvement. The striker, who needs one more goal to become Villa's leading scorer in the Premier League, has been known to knock on Emery's door to ask why he has been left out of certain games. Watkins' future will be reassessed, with discussions between the player's camp and Villa to take place at the end of the season. Martinez, like Watkins, has formed the spine of Villa's success under Emery. Yet there are doubts over both players — the nature of Saudi Pro League transfers mean there are long chains of commands between decision-makers at clubs and they therefore prefer to decide on their list of targets early. Martinez is one of the players they have interest in. Sources close to the player say no talks have started, but agents with close links to Saudi Arabia state the 32-year-old is part of conversations around recruits. Like with every transfer, Villa are succession planning — Espanyol's Joan Garcia, 24, has been mentioned as a possible, younger replacement — but Martinez and his family are settled in the Midlands, with his wife Amanda running businesses in England. There are doubts from observers if there is a market for Martinez outside of Saudi Arabia, which may not stoke his desire to win big trophies, especially with the level of fee Villa will ask for. Regardless of Martinez's future, a goalkeeper is likely to arrive, with his long-time deputy Robin Olsen expected to leave at his contract expiration. The other first-team player whose deal expires is defender Kortney Hause, who has not played for Villa since January 2022, will depart and is targeting a return with an EFL club. There is a decision to be made at left-back. Ian Maatsen is keen to be Emery's first-choice starter next season and has lately received encouragement he will be, having been selected more often in the starting XI. This has been at the expense of Lucas Digne, who has enjoyed a productive campaign even if his form has tailed off. The left-back is in the top 10 Premier League players for chances created, with his consistency and professionalism valued by Emery. However, Digne is entering the final 12 months of his contract, with the players' camp fielding enquiries from elsewhere. Villa are holding off on talks until the end of the season. Tyrone Mings is entering the final year of his deal too. The 32-year-old is keen to continue his playing career at Villa, with discussions scheduled for the summer. This is expected to indicate what Villa's intentions are, be it a new contract, continue into his final year or look to sell the defender. A long-term contract is on the table for Boubacar Kamara. Other clubs have contacted the players' representatives, asking to be kept informed on discussions but Kamara wants to stay in the Premier League and talks are progressing. He is a huge admirer of Emery and is widely regarded by multiple sources as Villa's best player when available. The midfielder is of Champions League calibre and believes he can play in the competition every year. Top-five qualification may provide a boost in getting an extension over the line. Villa are well-stocked in midfield, with record signing Amadou Onana expected to play a bigger role next season. Villa signed Enzo Barrenechea from Juventus last summer but has spent the campaign on loan at Valencia, where he has impressed. Despite this, there is an acknowledgement internally that he has to show he is at the level to compete for a place in the most competitive position in Villa's squad. The 23-year-old has admirers from elsewhere, including Valencia, with his successful loan ensuring Villa would make a profit on the €11m paid last year. Regarding incomings, Villa are leading in efforts to sign highly-rated Sverre Nypan from Rosenborg. Recruitment staff have made trips to Norway to monitor Nypan, with lots of work going into convincing the player — who can count Arsenal and Girona as admirers — of Villa's project. Presentations have been shown to him and the family, outlining plans to integrate him into Emery's setup. There is a confidence that he will join. Villa are aiming to strengthen at right-sided centre-back and potentially at right-back. Chelsea loanee Axel Disasi is unlikely to sign permanently, having been left out of the matchday squad against Fulham last week. Valencia's 20-year-old centre-back Cristhian Mosquera would fit the profile of central defender. Decisions will be made on other loanees Asensio and Rashford, with Villa aware of each player's salary demands and what it would cost to sign them permanently. A striker is on the agenda following Duran's departure in January and in light of Watkins' uncertain future and Rashford's loan expiring. In January, Nice's Evann Guessand, 23, was referenced by multiple close observers, although a more proven forward is needed. Villa are short in wide areas too. Like most other Premier League sides, Villa have watched Southampton's Tyler Dibling, but this is as far as interest has gone. Other business will be dependent on outgoings. Winger Leon Bailey has long-standing interest from Saudi Arabia, dating back to around the time Villa sold Moussa Diaby to Al Ittihad last summer. Struggling for form and confidence, Bailey's creative numbers have fallen sharply, scoring just twice in 37 appearances and being left out of recent squads. Manchester United and others held preliminary talks in January and Bailey wants to play regularly. This summer is an ideal time to part ways. Morgan Rogers is Villa's most valuable asset. His rise has been exceptional since signing from Middlesbrough, establishing himself among Emery's most important players. Chelsea have notified their interest and are not the only Premier League side in this regard; yet it would take a sizeable fee and other factors for his exit to be considered. Jacob Ramsey has long-standing interest from Tottenham Hotspur and, as an academy graduate, would represent pure bookable profit. Emery remains a keen advocate of Ramsey's and what he can provide when fit and in form. Villa will recoup money on fringe players. Emiliano Buendia and Leander Dendoncker are on loan at Bayer Leverkusen and Anderlecht respectively and can leave. Both teams have the option of making their loans permanent. Kaine Kesler-Hayden won Preston North End's player of the year following an excellent loan and now is the right time for the academy graduate to seek a permanent move. The next step for the full-back is to join a high-end Championship side or lower-end Premier League team. Left-back Alex Moreno has fallen down the pecking order on loan at Nottingham Forest, with Villa open to offers. A busy summer lies ahead. (Top photo: Martinez and Watkins could leave this summer. Getty Images)
