Aston Villa, true to form, have been among the busiest Premier League clubs this transfer window.
Whether it be long-serving players leaving or new faces coming in, the bid to build on last season’s Europa League win and Champions League qualification has led to an incredibly hectic few months.
Ollie Watkins, for so long the leading striker under Unai Emery, is wanted in Saudi Arabia and has just apologised for missing the disastrous Premier League opening defeat to Brighton, with his future in doubt.
Should Watkins leave, his replacement would be key. An offer has gone in for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta while there is interest in AC Milan forward Rafael Leao and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson.
Villa would need a Watkins replacement, plus an attacker, and that’s before we get to the centre-back situation — oh, and how they recover from the opening-day horror show. The final week of the transfer window could prove crucial to how this season goes.
