Aston Villa are set to return to the Champions League this season, with a new-look starting XI ready to impress
Aston Villa will head into the 2026/27 with a fresh looking new side, after two major departures saw Morgan Rogers joining Chelsea and Youri Tielemans head to Manchester United. Unai Emery has worked tirelessly to find suitable replacements, and will continue to do so until player trading ceases for the summer on September 1st.
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The West Midlands side have spent around £100m new signings this window, with lightning-fast winger Johan Manzambi arriving from Bundesliga side Freiburg, and midfielder Joao Gomes joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers following their relegation to the Championship. Alejandro Garnacho has also been snapped up on loan from Chelsea.
It’s set to be another hectic season for Emery’s men, who will once again be competing in four competitions: The Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup. As things stand, the Villans need another signing or two on board to balance out their squad, and a host of names have been linked with a move to Villa Park, with the new season starting in just two weeks time.
Ahead of the 2026/27 Premier League campaign getting underway, with Villa travelling to Brighton & Hove Albion on their first day of the season, we’ve taken a look at the £277m XI they could field, with the figure being derived from the fees paid for their existing stars, and the rumoured asking price of players who’ve been linked with a move in recent weeks.
Aston Villa’s potential £277m new XI - goalkeeper and defence
Aston Villa are looking to hang on to Ezri Konsa, amid interest from Arsenal and Liverpoolplaceholder image
Aston Villa are looking to hang on to Ezri Konsa, amid interest from Arsenal and Liverpool | Getty Images
GK - Emi Martinez: It’s rare that a transfer window goes by without multiple reports suggesting the Argentina goalkeeper wants to leave Villa. The start of this summer was no different, but it appears that Martinez may have now had a change of heart, and looks likely to remain the club’s number one. He’s heading into his seventh season at Villa Park.
RB - Matt Cash: With Poland failing to qualify for the World Cup, Cash has had all summer off to recuperate from the gruelling 2025/26 campaign, which should do both him and Villa the world of good. He’ll be the club’s first choice right-back again this season, ahead of Serbian youngster Kosta Nedeljkovic.
CB - Ezri Konsa: The England international is still on holiday after the Three Lions went deep in the World Cup, and continues to be linked with a move to either Arsenal or Liverpool. While some reports suggest Villa could agree a sale if a £60m offer is made, it’s widely believed that the club will now rebuff any approaches for Konsa, with diminishing time to source a high quality replacement.
CB - Pau Torres: After forming a rock-solid partnership at the back with Konsa, Torres has become an established player at Villa Park under Emery. The left-footed gem has made over 100 appearances for the club in his three-season stint at the club, following his £32m switch from Villarreal.
LB - Matteo Ruggeri: Lucas Digne is set to join Paris Saint-Germain, which means Villa are on the hunt for a new left-back. Atletico Madrid’s Ruggeri looks to be their primary target, after falling behind new signing Alejandro Grimaldo in his side’s pecking order. Ruggeri should be available for a bargain fee, with Atleti likely to accept a £20m offer for the 24-year-old gem.
Aston Villa’s potential £277m new XI - midfield and attack
Johan Manzambi is ready to take the Premier League by storm this seasonplaceholder image
Johan Manzambi is ready to take the Premier League by storm this season | Getty Images
CM - John McGinn: Following the signing of Manzambi, club captain McGinn could potentially be moved into a slightly more central, deeper midfield role. The 31-year-old didn’t go far in the World Cup, with Scotland failing to get out of their group, so he’ll have plenty of energy left in the tank for the new season. He’s expected to shake off a knee injury in time to face Brighton.
CM - Marc Bernal: It’s a long shot, but Villa are said to be determined to get the deal done. Barcelona’s highly coveted young central midfielder is believed to be Emery’s top target to replace Tielemans, but his club don’t appear to be keen to sell. The Villans are rumoured to be plotting a £30m bid, with the Catalan giants wanting at least £55m to sell. Whether Villa can haggle Barca down remains to be seen.
AMR - Johan Manzambi: His excellence with Switzerland at the World Cup - where he bagged three goals and provided two assists on their run to the quarter-finals- was enough to convince Villa to pounce, hijacking the winger’s move to Newcastle United. He’s one of the most exciting Premier League signings this summer, and will be looking to take the division by storm.
AMC - Emi Buendia: Replacing Rogers is a tall order for Villa, but with Buendia impressing in pre-season, they may not need to spend a fortune to do so. The 29-year-old reignited his career at Villa Park last season, putting his past injury problems behind him and playing a whopping 54 times in all competitions.
AML - Alejandro Garnacho: The 22-year-old’s arrival at the club on loan was met with a distinctly lukewarm response, after the player’s deeply unimpressive debut season at Chelsea. That said, if there’s a manager who can work miracles with a player, it’s Emery. Garnacho will be desperate to prove his doubters wrong and unlock the potential he’s promised for years.
ST - Ollie Watkins: Both Man United and Arsenal are said to remain interested in the 30-year-old, who plundered his way to 21 goals in all competitions for Villa last season. Emery will be confident of holding on to the England striker, who will be eager to impress in the Champions League this season.
Read more:Rating every player Aston Villa signed this season - including 2/10 disaster and genius free transfer