Done deal Marcos Acuna to Aston Villa has been fanalized

Aston Villa has a good position going into January. With a firm grip on the fight for Champions League qualifying, the winter transfer window presents more of a chance for improvement than a last-ditch effort to add players to give the team a boost.

Around this time last year, Villa wanted to provide head coach Unai Emery with at least one acquisition. They approved a low-cost, very successful transaction for Alex Moreno, who was the result of Emery’s exclusive pursuit of the player.

Jhon Duran, who is already exhibiting promising signs and is considered by many in the football community to be among the greatest young forwards in the world, was also recruited by the club through a wider recruitment process.

The Athletic explains what to anticipate from Villa in the upcoming winter window.

The January 2021 window’s expenditures totaled £14.2 million (€16.53 million and $17.85 million).

January 2022: £27,000,000

January 2023: £26,500,000

What is the likelihood of the available funds?
Emery has the capacity to maneuver. The 52-year-old claims he is content with his team and will depend more on its supporting players in the upcoming weeks, but letting go of those who are seen unnecessary would allow Villa to bolster in the wide areas.

Due to Villa’s strict adherence to financial fair play (FFP) rules, it is possible that the club will continue the previous three windows’ patterns. They added £28 million to a financial sheet that required improvement while spending £76 million in the summer.

It is acknowledged within the team that in order to enable Villa to spend within the FFP limitations, they must continue to find new revenue streams and commercial streams; however, should Emery and President of Football Operations Monchi identify the ideal player, the team will make a determined effort to acquire them. The club’s owners, Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris, along with Emery and Monchi, are scheduled to meet in the coming days to determine which positions, if any, call for additions and what kind of player is available. Emery is unwilling to sign someone who won’t be a step up.

Who decides who gets signed and at what level?
Emery and director of football Damian Vidagany handle transfer talks and serve as sounding boards for any questions from agents and players after the arrival of Monchi, his old Sevilla colleague, in the summer.

They both know exactly which player Emery wants and who fits in with Villa’s system since they are connected with him. Emery only gets engaged in the last stages of a contract; he stays out of the specifics of player discussions. The three decision-makers, who report to Monchi, oversee crucial football-related issues and have established a “triangle of power.” Their scouting network includes a growing number of prospects who understand Spanish.

After the targets have been determined, Monchi and Emery—who probably already know the player—will work through them.

In his interactions with players and agents, Vidagany is open and honest, telling them in meetings and over emails if they should look for another club. This summer, he gave some players the go-ahead to depart as long as they brought a buyer to Villa, specifying the kind of money the team was seeking in each situation.

Which roles are prioritized?
Given that Matty Cash is the team’s sole specialist option at right-back, there is a growing perception that Emery wants to bolster the position. Emery seems to be prioritizing getting a right-back to rival Cash and give assistance, as he has been looking to improve in most areas since joining 13 months ago.

After a late, ultimately unsuccessful attempt to get Jack Harrison in the summer, when he joined Everton, a winger has also been taken into consideration. The only pure winger Emery uses right now is Leon Bailey, who is about to enter the last two years of his contract and will shortly meet to talk about an extension.

What information do we have about potential targets?
Despite Lucas Digne’s stellar play, Marcos Acuna was the left-back Villa really sought in the summer and may still be. While Monchi knew Acuna from their time together at Sevilla, Emery had a strong understanding of him from managing against him in La Liga.

He suited Villa’s need for a more daring left-back who could effectively switch to a left-wing role when in possession; during Argentina’s World Cup triumph last year, he was occasionally utilized on the left side.

Any trade, though, would probably only happen in the summer, allowing Digne to go after the Villa leadership began discussing a move abroad at the beginning of the previous preseason. Even with his stellar play at left back, where he has started every Premier League game this season, he is one of the best paid players at £120,000 a week, therefore his departure would help the books.

Who could be about to leave?
Villa’s financial and income needs to keep up with Emery’s quick development. Bertrand Traore’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign, and an extension seems improbable. However, he will be traveling with Burkina Faso for the Africa Cup of Nations in January, which would prevent him from playing. Strangely, Traore feels he is ready to compete in the event even though he hasn’t played since suffering an injury during his previous international assignment.

Villa is willing to trade both Calum Chambers and Leander Dendoncker, who have battled for playing time. Players in Villa’s under-21 squad may also have the chance to go out on loan and play with the main team.