The January transfer season is coming to a conclusion, with deadline day less than a week away, but Aston Villa has only completed two new signings, significantly less than was expected given the arrival of a new manager. There is still time, however, and it appears that Unai Emery intends to sign a new winger and midfielder before the end of the season.
The Premier League has had a particularly active transfer window, with hundreds of millions of pounds spent, causing the English top flight to outspend other divisions in Europe. Chelsea spent €178.5 million on new recruits in January, more than any other club in La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, or the Bundesliga combined.
Villa have not been as adventurous with their purchases, but they have spent approximately €30 million so far. Emery is anticipated to be given additional finances to sign the players he wants, with several high-profile names linked. With that in mind, here is a round-up of the Villans’ window so far, including completed transactions, potential acquisitions, and other transfer intrigues.
At the time of writing, Emery had made two signings for Aston Villa during the January transfer window. Alex Moreno from Real Betis was the first to arrive, providing depth and some forward momentum at left-back. At 29 years old, the Spaniard is a dynamic defender and winger who retired from La Liga as one of the league’s top fullbacks.
The second addition was Jhon Duran, who joined from Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire for an initial cost of roughly £15 million, with add-ons potentially pushing the total closer to £20 million. Duran, who scored eight goals and assisted five times in 27 MLS games last season, piqued the interest of Manchester United and Liverpool, but Villa were the first to respond.
