Aston Villa could look to try and beat Man Utd to one of their prime targetsplaceholder image
Aston Villa could look to try and beat Man Utd to one of their prime targets | AFP via Getty Images
Aston Villa could look to try and beat Man Utd to one of their prime targets
After a disappointing start to the campaign, Aston Villa are very much back in contention for a Champions League place after a resurgence in form and results.
Their performances in the Premier League seem to be improving with each passing week - and the likes of Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa and Matty Cash are all beginning to hit the levels that made them such potent threats last season. Add to that the resurgence of Emi Buendia, the return to fitness of Youri Tielemans and the improving form of Emi Martinez, and slowly but surely, Villa are looking like a force to be reckoned with once again.
All of this is happening in spite of the fact that they, like Newcastle in 2024 and perhaps Everton before that, have been held back by the cruel realities of Profit and Sustainability rules, which have essentially stagnated the club’s transfer spending opportunities. Nevertheless, if Villa are smart and use the loan market to their advantage, they could find themselves in an incredibly strong situation in 2026 and beyond.
Aston Villa should look to strengthen in January
Villa have coped admirably with the demands of domestic and European commitments so far this season and are in a strong position heading into the Christmas period. However, their one major concern remains the form of striker Ollie Watkins, who after scoring just once in 12 matches, has looked a far cry from the player he has been in recent seasons.
Watkins has credit in the bank from his prior seasons. He’s Villa’s top scorer of the Premier League era and has proven himself to be one of the best in the business when he’s in his full, glorious flow. But the club’s lack of competition in attack, plus the fact that the 29-year-old is struggling for form, suggest something needs to change if the club are to keep their positive momentum going.
Signing a striker in January could be the perfect solution as it would give Aston Villa something they haven’t had since Jhon Duran’s departure, competition in the striker role.
Aston Villa could look to hijack Man Utd’s move for Endrick
Endrick showed signs of promise, scoring on his Champions League debut against Stuttgart and firing in four goals en route to the Copa del Rey final. However, he was only given three starts in the league and struggled to dislodge the formidable Kylian Mbappe. It was a steady season for the teenager but his progress has since stalled entirely under Xabi Alonso, with him playing just 11 minutes of football under the new boss, leaving his hopes of playing at the World Cup in jeopardy.
The 19-year-old, who has been capped 14 times by Brazil, is viewed in South America as their modern day answer to Pele or Ronaldo Nazário. He’s rated by former boss Carlo Ancelotti, who’s now with the national team. But without regular game time simply won’t get on the plane.
Endrick wants to be at a club where he’ll be used regularly, and while he won’t definitely start every week at Villa, there’s a solid chance that he’ll be used frequently particularly if Villa go to the latter stages of the Europa League as expected and have a similar run in the FA Cup to last season.
Endrick is blessed with immense technical quality, the ability to beat defenders with ease and could potentially unlock his full potential under Emery’s stewardship. Villa are third bottom when it comes to expected goals scored in the league this season, while their 16th in the table when it comes to expected points.
This suggests that despite grinding out results they are often relying on moments of exceptional quality to get them out of games rather than creating chances themselves. Which highlights that signing Endrick could offer the club a boost and give them some much needed competition to take some of the pressure away from Watkins.
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