Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has told the club’s president of football operations, Robert Olabe, to prioritise one transfer deal this summer, according to a new report.
Villa make transfer plans amid Champions League push
Villa are within touching distance of completing one of their finest ever Premier League seasons, and Emery is already working hard to ensure the squad that gets them there stays together.
The Villans currently sit fourth in the Premier League table, five points clear of the chasing pack with just seven games to play.
Champions League football next season is looking increasingly likely, and that prospect is shaping everything happening off the pitch too.
For a club of Villa’s trajectory, European revenue is not a luxury — it is the foundation on which their summer ambitions are built.
Qualify, and the gates open. Miss out, and difficult decisions follow, not least around the future of Morgan Rogers, who is already attracting interest north of £100m from the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and other rivals.
Aston Villa considering move for one of the most in-demand and best teenagers in Europe
The Villans have an eye on the summer transfer window.
Emery’s recruitment vision for the summer is reportedly taking shape quickly.
Harry Wilson, Fulham’s outstanding Welsh winger who has racked up double figures in goal contributions this season, is firmly on Villa’s radar, as already confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.
Marcus Thuram of Inter Milan has also emerged as a major target, with direct contact reportedly made, and the 27-year-old French international is rumoured to prefer a Premier League move over interest from Saudi Arabia.
Lazio centre-back Mario Gila is another name on the radar, though Real Madrid’s sell-on clause gives them an advantage in that particular race.
Gabriel Sara, the Brazilian midfielder impressing for Galatasaray, is also understood to have caught the attention of Villa’s recruitment team.
But perhaps the most significant piece of business the club are plotting is one that would cost them nothing up front — and TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey claims it is gathering steam.
Unai Emery tells Robert Olabe to prioritise Jadon Sancho deal at Aston Villa
Indeed, Villa are preparing to make a formal move for Jadon Sancho on a permanent basis this summer, with manager Emery giving his full personal backing to the deal.
The 26-year-old has been on loan from Man United since last summer, and while he needed time to find his rhythm in the early weeks, he has steadily grown into a key figure under Emery.
The Villa boss has been so impressed by both Sancho’s performances and his attitude that he has made his wishes clear to president of football operations Olabe — signing the winger permanently should be a priority.
Crucially, initial talks with Sancho’s representatives have already begun, and TEAMtalk also state that early indications from those conversations are encouraging.
Sancho has become genuinely settled in Birmingham, and by all accounts is enjoying his football and his life in the city in equal measure.
The financial side is straightforward in one sense — United’s contract with Sancho expires at the end of the season, with the club holding an extension option they fully intend to let pass.
They will swallow a staggering loss on the £73m they paid for him in 2021. Sancho will be a free agent.
However, any deal Villa put together will not match the wages he currently commands at Old Trafford, and his camp are apparently well aware of the competing interest building across Europe
TT indicate that money is not the driving force in Sancho’s thinking at this stage of his career. The right environment and the right football matter more.
On both counts, Villa appear to be making a compelling case.
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This season, Aston Villa are targeting a top four/five finish and a European trophy to boot.