Aston Villa give duo January transfer window 'green light'

Aston Villa players Calum Chambers and Bertrand Traore have both been told they can leave the club over the course of the ongoing January transfer window, as confirmed by head coach Unai Emery in a recent press conference.

This is according to a piece by Football Insider, who note that the duo could be let go to fund further incomings. As things stand, the Villans have yet to sign anyone in the January window, following a high-spending summer that saw stars such as Pau Torres, Moussa Diaby and Youri Tielemans arrive at the club.

Villa are enjoying a wonderful season in the Premier League this season - they currently sit in 3rd place in the table, above the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Bringing yet more high-quality players on board would only strengthen their chances of securing a top-four finish, but they may have to generate funds through player sales to make this happen.

Should Aston Villa hold on to Calum Chambers or Bertrand Traore?

Currently, it seems that neither Chambers nor Traore have a place in Emery's squad at Villa Park. Traore has made just two appearances in the Premier League this season, both of which being cameos from the bench, while Chambers has not played in the league at all in the current campaign.

As such, it would make sense to let the pair of them leave - Traore especially, as his contract is set to expire at the end of June. Chambers, meanwhile, is under contract until the summer of 2025. He is not currently with the club, having been selected by Burkina Faso boss Hubert Velud to captain his country at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations - this could complicate a deal to move him away from the club, as the tournament will not conclude until after the January deadline.