Jhon Duran was one of a number of big stars to leave Aston Villa last seasonplaceholder image
Jhon Duran was one of a number of big stars to leave Aston Villa last season | Getty Images
Aston Villa sold a number of their big earning stars last summer
The season an exciting chapter for Unai Emery’s side as they brought in a raft of new talent including Ian Maatsen,Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley as well as marquee January additions such as Donyell Malen and loanees such as Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.
However, success on the pitch was to an extent disrupted slightly by Aston Villa’s PSR situation as the club at times was forced to cash in on a number of major assets including a superstar striker, two Brazilian internationals and even a club-record signing. With that in mind, we take a look at each player Aston Villa sold in both the summer and winter transfer window last season and how they fared after leaving Boodymoor Heath.
Aston Villa’s summer sales (2024)
Morgan Sanson to Nice (undisclosed): One-time £16m signing Morgan Sanson was sold to Nice last summer following a fairly steady loan spell with the French outfit. Sanson never got going in a Villa shirt but looked to be reviving his career in France by securing the move. However, an ankle injury has seriously derailed his progress at Nice, with the midfielder playing just six league matches and scoring three goals.
Tim Iroegbunam to Everton (£9m): Youngster Tim Iroegbunam played 21 matches in his debut season for the Toffees but struggled for regular minutes due to injury. He contributed one assist but that did come in a 2-2 with Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.
Omari Kellyman to Chelsea (£19m): A slightly strange transfer that went under the radar. Youngster Omari Kellyman is still waiting for his debut at Chelsea.
Douglas Luiz to Juventus (£42m): Most Aston Villa supporters were disappointed to lose Douglas Luiz in a transfer which epitomised the harsh realities of the Premier League’s PSR rules. Luiz was a fan favourite at Villa Park but has struggled to hit the same standards in Turin and has even been linked with a return to English football this summer.
Sebastian Revan to Wrexham (undisclosed): Played 27 times for Wrexham last year but only 17 of them came in the league. He helped the club win promotion but was rarely a first team starter.
Viljami Sinisalo to Celtic (£1m): Helped Celtic to a league and cup double while racking up eight appearances as back-up goalkeeper. A decent signing for the Hoops.
Moussa Diaby to Al Ittihad (£50m): Aston Villa got back most of the money they spent on French winger Moussa Diaby. He’s done fairly well in Saudi Arabia with five goals and 15 assists in 25 Pro League matches while winning a league and cup double.
Ben Chrisene to Norwich (undisclosed): Played 27 times for Norwich at Championship level. Has been a steady squad player with work to do to become a starter.
Cameron Archer to Southampton (£18m): Scored twice in 36 matches for a Southampton team that were relegated with the second lowest points total in Premier League history. Has shown signs of promise in past loan spells and will now look to deliver much more at Championship level under Will Still.
Aston Villa’s January sales (2025)
Jaden Philogene to Ipswich (£20m): Jaden Philogene’s return to Aston Villa was short-lived, but they were able to make a profit of around £7m on a player that they’d brought in from Hull City for just £13m six months earlier. He scored twice in 10 league appearances for an Ipswich side that were relegated but is expected to have a big season at Championship level as he beds into his new surroundings.
Diego Carlos to Fenerbahce (£8.5m): Brazilian centre back Diego Carlos joined Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in mid-season. He suffered a medial collateral ligament injury shortly after joining the Turkish club and has only played four league matches.
Jhon Durán to Al-Nassr (£71m) : Aston Villa sold Colombian wonderkid Jhon Duran for £71m in January despite desperately trying to get him to stay. He hit the ground running with eight goals in 13 matches in Saudi but has since moved to Fenerbahce on loan in a slightly surprising turn of events.
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