Aston Villa will focus on key position in 'squad maintenance' at Villa Park | OneFootball

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GiveMeSport

·8 February 2023

Aston Villa will focus on key position in 'squad maintenance' at Villa Park

Article image:Aston Villa will focus on key position in 'squad maintenance' at Villa Park

Aston Villa’s first-team squad will ‘undergo maintenance’ in the summer transfer window, journalist Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport.

The Midlands outfit were relatively quiet in January in what was their first window under the tutelage of manager Unai Emery, but the Spaniard should have the chance to mould his team ahead of next term.


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Left-back Alex Moreno became the first signing of Emery’s era with the Villans after completing a £13.3 million switch from Real Betis.

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The 29-year-old is set to compete with Lucas Digne for a starting berth at Villa Park following some impressive displays in La Liga and should add significant strength in depth.

Meanwhile, Emery also brought in teenage striker Jhon Duran from Chicago Fire in a deal that could rise to £18 million if his potential add-ons are triggered.

Duran, who has three caps for Colombia, registered eight goals and six assists in 30 appearances for Chicago throughout 2021/22 and replaced the outgoing Danny Ings.

Villa have been ambitious since returning to the Premier League, and Emery is likely to have a sizeable transfer budget available to him in the summer window.

What has Jones said about Aston Villa?

Emery admitted that Villa were searching for a ‘specialist winger’ during the winter after the club offloaded several under previous manager Steven Gerrard.

And Jones believes that the defence will also be ‘somewhere of scrutiny’ when it comes to making new signings ahead of next season.

He said: “I think a lot of the squad will undergo maintenance in the summer, but particularly the defence will be somewhere under scrutiny.”

Who could Aston Villa sign?

BirminghamLive claimed during January that Villa enquired about the availability of winger Gerard Deulofeu following an impressive 18 months spell at Udinese.

The former Everton and Watford star has finally fulfilled his potential with the Serie A outfit, racking up 32 goal contributions in 68 appearances, catching the eye of several top sides.

However, a knee injury ended Deulofeu’s hopes of securing a return to the Premier League, but Villa may decide to revive their interest in a few months’ time.

Emery’s options in defence should be naturally boosted by the return to fitness of Diego Carlos, yet further additions at centre-back may also be targeted.

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