Managing Aston Villa as Unai Emery makes £50m transfer and £40m replacement signs

Aston Villa have been watching their wallets in the transfer window so far, but a vital summer looms. Unai Emery's men will again play European football for the upcoming campaign.

Wounds were licked on the last day of the past Premier League season when the Villans missed out on Champions League football and the funds that accompany it under cruel circumstances away to Manchester United.

However, they will grace the Europa League for the upcoming term, and the club will have to prepare accordingly this summer. UEFAhas thrown a slight spanner in the works, fining the club £9.5million for breaching financial rules and imposing a sporting sanction.

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The club can only register a new player on their UEFA List A if the List A transfer balance is positive, yet Villa do not see this as a major obstacle. Mirror Football examines who could be coming in and heading out of Villa Park this summer, including a £50m recruit and £40m replacement.

£50m arrival in the form of Ferran Torres

Marco Asencio and Marcus Rashford's loan signings proved instrumental in Emery's side enjoying a stellar campaign last year. They’ll leave behind a gaping hole if not signed permanently, which at the moment looks unlikely.

As per Gazzetta dello Sport, Asencio is reportedly being targeted by Inter Milan, Champions League finalists, and Rashford's potential PSR hit looks to be just out of the Villans' reach. So, attacking reinforcements may be top of the club's list when spending commences, with only youngster Zepiqueno Redmond signed so far, and a surprise target has emerged in the form of Barcelona's Ferran Torres.

Reports in Spain suggest that the Catalan giants would be willing to accept a fee in the region of £43m for the 25-year-old former Manchester City winger. Former Villa scout Bryan King informed Villa News that Emery could also be key in forcing through a prospective deal.

"I think Emery will be a big factor," he stated. "The promise of regular first-team football, working under a Spanish manager and Spanish coaching staff. Life at Villa would be quite enjoyable, I think, for Torres."

Emi Martinez replaced with £40m shot-stopper

In terms of exits, Emi Martinez is expected to leave Villa Park this window. The 32-year-old World Cup winner has been a goliath between the sticks for Villa, but Manchester United and Atletico Madrid have been mooted as likely destinations.

Should Martinez, who left the Villans' final home game in tears last season in what looked like a goodbye, head out the exit door, then securing the signature of a competent replacement will be a priority.

Lille's Lucas Chevalier seems to be the shot-stopper earmarked to come in and attempt to fill Martinez's boots, as it was reported in May by Sky Sports Switzerland that talks had begun over bringing the Frenchman to the Premier League.

Chevalier is valued at around £40m and kept 11 clean sheets in Ligue 1 last season, the second most in the French top flight, as his side finished in fifth.

Lucas Digne sold and Ian Maatsen handed more minutes

One area where the Villans are not lacking is at left-back. Lucas Digne arrived from Everton in January 2022, and while at times he has looked sub-par, his set-piece abilities and pinpoint crosses can be lethal.

Last summer, Ian Maatsen was brought in from Chelsea. He had spent the previous campaign on loan with Borussia Dortmund, where he made the Champions League final.

Emery rotated both, favouring Digne, who seems to come alive in the face of competition, last season, but rumours suggest the French full-back could be leaving Villa Park in the coming months, with Atletico Madrid a potential suitor says The Times.

The 31-year-old is in the final year of his current contract, and while he has been consistent for Villa, getting his wages off the books and receiving a fee for a player who may walk on a free next summer could be smart, considering that Maatsen is waiting in the wings.

Ollie Watkins stays put despite Manchester United links

With Jhon Duran sold in January, Villa favourite Ollie Watkins led the line for most of the season and mustered 16 league goals, an impressive total despite being three less than he managed the previous term.

Unlike Digne, he is contracted to Villa until 2028, but, having reached the age of 29 and with the likes of United sniffing around with big money to offer, he has been linked with a move away from the West Midlands.

A fee of £60m has been bandied around, but the role that Watkins plays under Emery, not even taking into consideration his goal output, should render him relatively priceless. Watkins is a workaholic.

While his finishing can leave a lot to be desired at times, the ground he covers not just through the centre but also out wide is vital to Villa's play. With no Rashford to force him onto the bench, he could string together some impressive performances next season in Europe and domestically, while replacing him with an unknown entity could hinder what is a vital campaign.

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