Aston Villa's reliance on their seasoned players is a ticking time bomb—and it's a problem that won't go away anytime soon. But here's the real question: can this strategy sustain their success in the long run?
With the return of Douglas Luiz in January, a player originally signed from Manchester City in 2019, Villa is on the brink of fielding a team entirely composed of players brought in during Dean Smith's tenure—all they need now is a left-back. Add Lucas Digne, signed under Steven Gerrard, and you have a squad that, surprisingly, bears no initial imprint of current manager Unai Emery, despite the Spaniard re-signing Luiz and Ross Barkley.
And this is the part most people miss: Smith, sacked in November 2021 after three years at the helm, still casts a long shadow over the club. His signings—like Tyrone Mings, loaned from Bournemouth in January 2019 and now the longest-serving player from his era—remain the backbone of the team. Mings recently celebrated his 200th appearance for Villa in their victory over Brighton.
Smith's legacy extends further with players like Ezri Konsa and Luiz, who arrived in the summer following Villa's promotion to the Premier League. Others, including Matty Cash, Emi Martinez, Lamare Bogarde, Barkley, Leon Bailey, Emi Buendia, and Ollie Watkins, also joined during his time. These players, signed from lower divisions like the Championship and Scottish Premiership, were calculated risks that paid off—but they're now aging.
Here's where it gets controversial: The core of Villa's squad—Mings, Konsa, Watkins, Cash, and John McGinn—were all signed for relatively modest fees. McGinn, for instance, cost just £3.5m from Hibernian under Steve Bruce, while Konsa, now an England international, joined from Brentford for £12m, and Cash arrived from Nottingham Forest for £16m. In today's inflated market, replacing a player like Konsa for £12m is nearly impossible, let alone for the even lower fees paid for others. This highlights Villa's biggest challenge: succession planning with limited funds.
The average age of Villa's starting XI is 28 years and 84 days—the second oldest in the Premier League—and the club acknowledges this issue needs addressing. To combat this, they've signed young talents like 19-year-old Brazilian winger Alysson from Gremio for £10m and 17-year-old Brian Madjo from Metz for a similar fee. While neither is expected to make an immediate impact—though Alysson made his debut recently—these signings represent a step toward refreshing the squad.
But here's the catch: Villa's financial constraints mean they can't compete with the likes of Tottenham or Newcastle for top talent. Deloitte's 2024-25 money list ranks Villa 14th among football's richest clubs, generating £450m in revenue—but they're still over £200m behind Tottenham. Even the planned upgrade to Villa Park, which will increase capacity to around 50,000, won't close this gap for at least 18 months.
Unai Emery has worked miracles with the resources available, but money talks. When big signings are on the table, Villa often finds itself outbid. Take the recent example of Conor Gallagher: despite weeks of negotiations, Tottenham swooped in, paid Atletico Madrid's £35m asking price, and secured the midfielder's return to London. Villa was never truly in the running.
Here's a thought-provoking question for you: Can Villa sustain their success without significantly increasing their spending power? Or will they always be a step behind clubs with deeper pockets? Let's discuss in the comments.
Villa's financial struggles are well-documented, with the club selling Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle for £40m to balance the books. With Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) looming, another sale may be necessary this year. Emery's magic has kept them competitive, but until they find a financial solution, Villa will remain reliant on his managerial genius—and their aging squad.
