Aston Villa manager Unai Emeryplaceholder image
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery | Getty Images
Unai Emery has the opportunity to bring in some new faces to bolster his ranks in the January transfer window
Aston Villa are sat in the top four in the Premier League table along with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. They won 2-1 away at Leeds United in their last outing following the international break. Attacker Morgan Rogers managed to get on the scoresheet twice against the Whites at Elland Road.
The Midlands have managed to click after a slow start to the season. They are back in action on Thursday at home to Young Boys in the Europa League. Emery’s men then lock horns with rivals Wolves at Villa Park on Sunday afternoon.
Aston Villa need to sign Everton midfielder James Garner
According to talkSPORT, Aston Villa are ‘keeping tabs’ on James Garner’s situation at Everton. Nottingham Forest and Manchester United have also been credited with an interest. He is out of contract at the end of the campaign and is due to become a free agent in June 2026 as things stand.
Emery has the perfect opportunity to sign him in the January transfer window as the Toffees risk losing him for nothing next summer if they don’t cash in on him this winter, assuming he doesn’t pen an extension anytime soon. Therefore, they may have to sell him to ensure that they receive a fee. He has been a key player under the guidance of David Moyes over recent times.
Garner, 24, joined Everton back in 2024 and has since become a regular for the Merseyside club. He has made 98 appearances for them in all competitions, 14 of which have come this term, and he has chipped in with three goals and six assists. The Birkenhead-born man can play at right-back as well as central midfield if needed and has been used there on a handful of occasions by Moyes.
Why James Garner would be ideal Aston Villa addition
Garner would be a shrewd addition for Aston Villa, especially if they were able to get him on a cut-price deal. He would inject more quality into their squad. In addition, he has proved himself in the top flight and is still relatively young so has potential to get better down the line.
He rose up through the academy at Manchester United and was a regular for the Red Devils at various different youth levels. The ex-England youth international went on to play seven matches for the first-team at Old Trafford. He was loaned out for the first time when Watford came calling in the Championship back in 2020 and he was given the green light to head out the exit door on a temporary basis to get some experience under his belt at Vicarage Road.
Garner then linked up with Nottingham Forest on loan and ended up spending two spells with the Reds. He helped them gain promotion under the guidance of Steve Cooper in his first one after they beat Huddersfield Town in the play-off final at Wembley. He then returned to the City Ground before Everton snapped him up permanently and he hasn’t looked back since. The Toffees face a battle to keep him now though amid attention from Aston Villa and others.
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