Stefan Borson
Wed 21 May 2025 12:00, UK
Aston Villa have made significant progress on and off the field over the past couple of years as they find themselves challenging for the Champions League again.
Unai Emery’s side currently sit sixth in the Premier League table, with five Champions League spots on offer to top-flight clubs this season.
The West Midlands giants have suffered a blow after Chris Heck has confirmed he will leave Villa Park at the end of the campaign.
Villa’s president of business operations, who joined the club in May 2023, is set to take up a role at LIV Golf.
Birmingham Mail reported on 13 May Francesco Calvo is set to replace Heck at Villa Park after he’s been working as Juventus’ managing director of revenue and football.
Finance expert Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider the Italian is likely to be a “top operator” after the “amazing” progress Villa have made in recent years.
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Calvo has also enjoyed spells with Barcelona and Roma, where he previously worked closely alongside Monchi, Villa’s president of football operations.
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Borson insisted almost every decision Villa Park chiefs have made in recent years has worked well.
He told Football Insider: “They have got a great setup there.
“They have taken some gambles on PSR, but the progress is amazing, especially if they qualify for the Champions League again.
“To qualify two years on the bounce, to have got actually quite close to a semi-final of the Champions League, to have built the squad, there’s a lot of amazing development of the club over the last three or four years.
“I would expect this guy’s a top operator.
“I don’t know him, but I think all the signs are that almost every decision they’ve taken has worked well, so I’m sure he’s really good.”
Position Team Played Points GD
3 Man City 37 68 26
4 Newcastle United 37 66 22
5 Chelsea 37 66 20
6 Aston Villa 37 66 9
7 Nottingham Forest 37 65 13
Premier League table (as of 21/05/2025)
Aston Villa line up replacements for star players
Former Villa Park senior scout Mick Brown told Football Insider Villa are working on signing replacements for Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Ollie Watkins ahead of the summer transfer window.
Emery and his recruitment team have already started working behind the scenes to identify new signings.
Villa are believed to be prepared to sell key players this summer, with Watkins attracting interest from other Premier League clubs.
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