Aston Villa’s Continued Dependence on Experienced Players: What Lies Ahead?

Aston Villa has seen significant achievements thanks to the contributions of their seasoned players, but the question remains: how sustainable is this reliance?

The Old Guard’s Lasting Influence

In a recent match against Bournemouth, seven of Aston Villa’s starters were players acquired during Dean Smith’s tenure as manager. This figure echoes in their previous game against Brighton, where the same number of Smith recruits played vital roles. Remarkably, Villa could field an entire team consisting of players recruited by Smith, who departed over four years ago.

Despite having gone three decades without a trophy, Villa is set to face Newcastle in the FA Cup this Saturday, hoping to change their luck. Under the guidance of Unai Emery, the team has been exceeding expectations, aiming to compete against wealthier Champions League clubs without the same financial resources.

This continuous reliance on familiar faces raises concerns about how Villa plans to rejuvenate its aging roster amidst strict financial regulations focused on profitability and sustainability.

What’s the Strategy Moving Forward?

Unai Emery’s recent signing of Douglas Luiz from Manchester City, along with other veterans, brings Villa to a point where they are just one left-back short of assembling a complete eleven comprised of players from Smith’s era. Adding Lucas Digne, who joined under Steven Gerrard, creates a lineup that would not feature any of Emery’s initial acquisitions, despite him bringing back Luiz and Ross Barkley.

Emery’s efforts to elevate the squad’s performance are commendable, yet the club faces challenges in replacement and succession planning due to limited funds. Villa’s starting XI has an average age of 28 years and 84 days, ranking it as one of the oldest in the Premier League, highlighting the urgent need for rejuvenation.

To kickstart this process, 19-year-old Brazilian winger Alysson was secured from Gremio for £10 million, and 17-year-old Brian Madjo joined from Metz for a similar fee. Neither player is expected to make an immediate impact, but they represent a strategic effort to balance the aging squad while addressing immediate team needs.

Villa recently added striker Tammy Abraham to support Ollie Watkins, while Luiz’s return followed an injury to Boubacar Kamara. The financial commitment to Abraham left Villa with limited resources, making Luiz a suitable choice due to his previous familiarity with the team’s tactics.

The Financial Landscape: Some Hard Truths

Villa finds itself competing financially with clubs like Newcastle, Tottenham, Wolves, and Nottingham Forest but lacks the firepower of the premier teams in the league. According to Deloitte’s financial report, Villa ranked 14th among football’s wealthiest clubs, generating £450 million, yet trailing over £200 million behind Tottenham.

Upcoming enhancements to Villa Park, aimed at increasing capacity to around 50,000 spectators, are not expected to yield immediate returns in matchday revenue, keeping Villa at a disadvantage relative to Premier League rivals.

While Unai Emery has managed to elevate performance through strategic decisions, financial constraints remain a hurdle. Qualifying for the Champions League would assist but wouldn’t entirely resolve the funding dilemmas.

Recently, Tottenham secured midfielder Conor Gallagher, highlighting the ongoing disparity in financial leverage among competing clubs. Despite extended negotiations with Atletico Madrid, Villa’s inability to match Tottenham’s offer made it clear where they stand in the financial hierarchy.

Historically, Villa knows they cannot afford to take risks that bigger clubs like Manchester City or Spurs can, particularly when considering the consequences of a failed transfer such as Evann Guessand, who was signed for £26 million but ultimately loaned out to Crystal Palace.

Having recently sold Jacob Ramsey for £40 million to stabilize their finances, it is expected that Villa will need to make further sales this year to maintain balance.

Emery’s effective tactics are indeed impressive under current restrictions, but the club must soon find a sustainable financial structure to support its ambitions.