Tag: Aston Villa

2024/25 Champions League Predictions for the Quarterfinals
6Apr By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

2024/25 Champions League Predictions for the Quarterfinals

On Tuesday, the quarterfinals of the 2024/25 Champions League season will begin, and while defending champions Real Madrid are always the favorites until proven otherwise, they have been significantly outplayed by Barcelona in their own league and barely survived the Round of 16 against crosstown rivals Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, Aston Villa are still sticking around despite their struggles in the Premier League and have a big-ticket battle against Unai Emery's former club PSG, who knocked league phase leaders Liverpool out of the competition. Here are the full predictions for the quarterfinals across both legs. Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan Bayern Munich head into the Champions League quarterfinals with a ton of major injuries to their back line. The most significant one is the t...
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Aston Villa in the driver’s seat to sign one of the season’s biggest breakout stars
31Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Aston Villa in the driver’s seat to sign one of the season’s biggest breakout stars

Aston Villa injected no shortage of attacking talent into their squad in the January transfer window, signing two of European football's biggest names on loan in PSG's Marco Asensio and Manchester United's perennially underachieving Marcus Rashford. The moves came after Aston Villa sacrificed their biggest breakout star for a big payday from Saudi Arabia, sending out Jhon Duran with Ollie Watkins having the starting job sewn up. But Unai Emery and Monchi do want some striker help, and they also want an attacking midfielder with the profile to play out wide, albeit someone with more dynamism than Asensio. With the futures of Rashford and Asensio unlikely to be with Aston Villa, the Clarets will want younger, more economical, and more consistent solutions to boost a side that most l...
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Aston Villa in the lead to sign Chelsea forward this summer transfer window
29Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Aston Villa in the lead to sign Chelsea forward this summer transfer window

After letting Moussa Diaby go to Saudi Arabia in the summer 2024 transfer window for a big profit, Aston Villa have a need on the right wing that still hasn't technically been filled in the long-term by PSG loanee Marco Asensio. Given Asensio's goal-scoring abilities and sweet left foot, he could be part of a solution on the right wing, but Aston Villa would need an out-and-out winger to pair with him. According to a report from GiveMeSport's Dean Jones and Danny Rust, Aston Villa have set their eyes on Chelsea right winger Noni Madueke, and they are actually leading the transfer battle to sign the talented 23-year-old. Although Madueke can be a good player, he is a mercurial one. Madueke has similarities with Diaby due to his streakiness, explosiveness, and desire to score goals,...
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Rafael van der Vaart buries Aston Villa for use of Dutch stars
28Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Rafael van der Vaart buries Aston Villa for use of Dutch stars

Aston Villa spent over 100 million euros on new players in the summer 2024 transfer window and then added a handful of more big names in the winter after thos summer signings failed to improve Villa's status from a Champions League side to a potential title contender in the Premier League. In fact, Aston Villa have fallen outside the top four entirely and have been worse off in 2024/25 despite the aggressive reinforcements. And many of those new additions have failed to get a solid foothold in the time. Among the most prominent is left back Ian Maatsen, who was signed permanently for nearly 45 million euros from Chelsea after enjoying an excellent 2023/24 breakout season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, in which he was one of the standouts in BVB's return to the Champions League Final. ...
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Aston Villa want to sign Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma
27Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Aston Villa want to sign Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma

Aston Villa signed Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans to boost their midfield this past summer, and while both Belgian internationals started the 2024/25 Premier League season hot, their signings have to be viewed with mixed results right now. The Clarets are still struggling to control games, as Aston Villa have fallen outside the top four and are at serious risk of missing out on Champions League football. And since they are all the way down in ninth placed, Aston Villa have to be worried about missing out on European football entirely next season despite very active summer and winter transfer windows. So they won't be done making tweaks in 2025, and GiveMeSport reports that Aston Villa are interested in signing Tottenham center midfielder Yves Bissouma this summer. Bissouma sh...
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The best move for Aston Villa to make in the January 2025 transfer window
15Jan By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

The best move for Aston Villa to make in the January 2025 transfer window

Aston Villa were one of the most active teams in the January 2025 transfer window, but the upgrades in midfield haven't helped the Villains move up in the Premier League table. After 20 mtatches, Villa are only 8th in the league, and while their game in hand could push them up as high as sixth, the club have failed to make progress after their surprise Champions League qualification last season. Already, Aston Villa have brought in Donyell Malen to provide them a key option on the right wing, but they are still in the pursuit of more upgrades across their squad, including at right back. But the best move for Aston Villa in the winter transfer window will actually be at center back, and it involves a dual move that can bring a legitimately world-class center back to their roster, w...
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Aston Villa want to rescue one of the best players in LaLiga
14Jan By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Aston Villa want to rescue one of the best players in LaLiga

Aston Villa are always going to be linked to talented players in LaLiga because of the connections Unai Emery has to the league, as he won the Europa League as a coach for both Sevilla and Villarreal. The Villains have found major success with a signing from LaLiga, too, as Emery brought over star center back Pau Torres from Villarreal, and he has proven to be an asset and one of the top center backs in the Premier League, too. For the most part, Villa's LaLiga transfer targets in 2025 have focused on the right back position, with a possible reunion between Emery and Villarreal right back Juan Foyth on the cards. Now, Diario AS are linking Aston Villa to their biggest transfer target in LaLiga yet, as the Premier League top-four contenders are reportedly interested in signing Brai...
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Monchi is aiming to bring a secret superstar to Aston Villa for under €30M
14Jan By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Monchi is aiming to bring a secret superstar to Aston Villa for under €30M

Aston Villa are one of the best teams in European football at proactively utilizing the transfer market to enhance their squad weaknesses and bring on players who can be a part of their club's identity for years, such as Pau Torres. After qualifying for the Champions League last season to cement their rise under the former great Sevilla duo of Unai Emery and Monchi, Aston Villa have found themselves in a bit of a predicament this season in a more competitive Premier League. In order to secure another top-four finish, Aston Villa are going to have to make some major signings this winter, and while they are on the precipice of acquiring players to fill their biggest team needs at right back and right winger, they could use additional difference-makers elsewhere. Aston Villa may be h...
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Fabrizio Romano provides best possible Jhon Duran transfer news for Aston Villa
14Jan By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Fabrizio Romano provides best possible Jhon Duran transfer news for Aston Villa

Aston Villa star striker Jhon Duran has become one of the most frequently mentioned names on the transfer rumor mill this winter despite the fact that there is logically a low likelihood of him moving from Villa Park in 2025. That's because Aston Villa already rejected lucrative transfer offers for Duran this summer when he was completely unproven, and now that he's scoring goals with efficiency in the Premier League, his value has only gone up - and he feels settled with Unai Emery and the club after they backed him during those months of uncertainty. But with intriguing success comes renewed interest from bigger parties, and Duran's small breakout in the Premier League has caught the eye of the deep pockets of Qatar and PSG, who could look to Duran as a replacement for an exiting R...
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Aston Villa’s best hope at right back is on the cusp of being available this transfer window
14Jan By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Aston Villa’s best hope at right back is on the cusp of being available this transfer window

Aston Villa have been scouring the market for possible right back options in the January 2025 transfer market, as the club looks to upgrade on the flawed Matty Cash, whose lack of attacking quality has hamstrung the wingers, particularly when it comes to getting inside to take on more shtos. For the most part, Aston Villa have focused their search on LaLiga, which is a familiar market to both Unai Emery and Monchi and contains undervalued players. But problematically, LaLiga doesn't have much high-end talent at right back that would help a Champions League-level side in the Premier League, particularly when it comes to being able to get forward. In general, pickings at right back are slim, which is part of the reason why Aston Villa have been sticking with Cash, who is still a better...
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