Aston Villa’s 2023/24 season has got off to a positive start - and a lot of that is down to the astute transfer business of the club.
It was the first summer transfer window of Unai Emery's tenure at the club, and he needed to be backed. He guided the club from looking destined for the drop to a side that finished in the top ten and qualified for the Europa Conference League.
Big money was spent with the club record fee broken as they signed Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen. He reunited with Pau Torres of whom he worked with at Villarreal and that cost the club £31.5m.
Some loanees came in too with the highly-rated Nicolo Zaniolo arriving in mid-August, and then Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet joined on deadline day.
What about the players who left Villa Park this summer however? In total, 26 players either said permanent or temporary goodbyes. Several players who graduated from the talented academy set-up helped fund new signings, and keep the club within the parameters of Financial Fair Play rules.
If you’re interested as to where some of these players ended up then look no further. Flick through the pages to see where some of your Villa heroes went.
There’s some interesting outcomes for some of these players, especially the younger players who were so highly thought of, but have now gone on to a different path in their footballing career, including one player who’s headed Stateside.
Do you wish Villa kept some of these, or do you think that the time was right to say goodbye? Let us know in the Facebook comments, and response to our Twitter.
1. DJ Campton-Sturridge - released
The 21-year-old was released this summer. Not much has been said about him since his departure, such as if he’s trialled for a new club. Photo: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
2. Declan Frith - released
Headed to Spain to play for Valencia’s B squad, joining last month. He signed a three-year deal with the Spanish outfit. Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images)
3. Josh Lane - released
The goalkeeper has headed to the USA to do a scholarship after leaving Villa following three-years at Villa Park. He’s now a student at Robert Morris University. Photo: Tony Marshall/Getty Images)
4. Hayden Lindley - released
Spent time on trial at Shrewsbury Town this summer but didn’t earn a deal. Photo: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)