Aston Villa have made a strong start to the 2023/24 campaign, solidifying a Premier League top-six spot after eight matches and keeping tabs on those in Group E of the UEFA Europa Conference League. Unai Emery’s side have already been knocked out of the Carabao Cup but have otherwise impressed.
Five signings were made in the summer transfer window, with £80.5 million spent. Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres, Nicolo Zaniolo, Youri Tielemans and Clement Lenglet were the additions, and some have made better impressions than others. The same can be said with the rest of the squad, with the congested fixture schedule pushing players to the limits.
With the October international break giving fans and the media alike time to reflect on the start of the season, we’ve sat down and rated individual players out of 10. There are 29 Villans judged, including three who are actually yet to feature but are expected to have a strong impact going forward. Click through the pages for a full analysis.
13. Leander Dendoncker - 3
Was brought in last summer to offer depth and solidity at the base of midfield but hasn’t lived up to expectations. The Villans seem to have far less control in the centre of the park when Dendoncker plays and that can’t be a coincidence, unfortunately. | Getty Images
14. Youri Tielemans - 7
It may come as a surprise, but the Belgian has actually played a part in every single fixture so far. Life at Villa Park wasn't easy at the start as Tielemans had some poor showings but has since improved plenty. The signs are there that he could become a key player for Villa; he just needs to break his way into the XI consistently somehow. | Getty Images
15. Douglas Luiz - 9
Consistently outstanding, not just this season but for a long while. Luiz is so critical to Emery’s love for building from the back as he carries the ball forward effectively. Also has six goals and two assists to his name, proving he's a real threat from deep. | Getty Images
16. Boubacar Kamara - 8
Does an outstanding job alongside Luiz, allowing the Brazilian to push up without fear of remand. Kamara breaks up the play with a level of physicality above that of a usual 23-year-old. Still has some work to do with his passing when under pressure but has plenty of time to reach his potential. | Getty Images