Aston Villa are in dreamland under Unai Emery after defeating both Manchester City and Arsenal in back-to-back games to leave them as high as third and two points away from Premier League leaders Liverpool. The Midlands club have gone from relegation contenders under Steven Gerrard to a side fighting a winning battle to earn a place in next season’s Champions League. Their recent rise has been astonishing.
Emery isn’t the only one who deserves credit for Villa’s turnaround, however. The recruitment team at Villa Park has rarely put a foot wrong in the last couple of years and could repeat their transfer trick once more in January, given the reported plan of owners NSWE.
Aston Villa transfer news
Aston Villa proved their progress on and off the pitch during the summer transfer window with the arrival of the likes of Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres and Nicolo Zaniolo, and they’ve reaped the rewards for their recruitment ever since. Now that they’re in a position to potentially break into the Champions League though, the Villans won’t want to miss out and the January transfer window could go a long way towards securing their place in the Premier League’s top four.
According to reporter Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, NSWE are now ready to back Emery by funding a big January signing blitz in what is an exciting transfer update. This comes after recent reports suggested Villa wanted to sign two new attackers, and they have now seemingly got the green light from those at the top. Among those could be Oscar Gloukh, who may cost between £40m and £50m next month.
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Having proved that they’re not afraid to splash the cash during the summer transfer window, Villa now reportedly look set to target further additions for Emery’s side pushing for a shock Champions League place come the end of the campaign.
Aston Villa’s January targets
It remains to be seen just who Aston Villa sign during the January window, but reports suggest that Gloukh is joined on their shortlist by Juventus fullback Andrea Cambiaso and Villarreal winger Alex Baena, making next month all the more interesting. Gloukh seems to be the name mentioned the most regarding a move, with Villa reportedly looking to add the attacking midfielder to their side.
By signing the Red Bull Salzberg midfielder, Emery could be adding goals to his midfield. Gloukh’s stats so far this season highlight how talented he is when it comes to contributing to his side, with six goals and six assists to his name in Austria. His arrival would only hand Watkins a further boost too, which could eliminate the need for Villa to sign an out-and-out striker in January.
As the season goes on and those at Villa Park potentially welcome reinforcements, Emery’s side could go up yet another level. As things stand, they remain on course to compete for a top four finish, but further additions could suddenly strengthen their shock title credentials. Just two points adrift of Liverpool, Villa could find themselves top at Christmas if results go their way – a position only a handful of sides have failed to win the title from in Premier League history.
