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.
21. Omari Kellyman - 6
Definitely looks a promising player just in behind the striker and worked hard to create openings – and notch an assist – on his start against Hibs. Still very raw and has mistakes in him but is one to watch for the years to come. | Getty Images
22. Emiliano Buendia - 6
Just like Mings, the Argentine suffered a devastating knee injury at the start of the campaign and won’t play until the pre-season of 2024/25. | Getty Images
23. Leon Bailey - 8
The Jamaican used to struggle with indecisiveness in the final third, and that still happens occasionally, but the improvement has been huge. Bailey has six goals and six assists in just 887 minutes, making him the most clinical in the Premier League. | Getty Images
24. Cameron Archer - 6
Played five minutes before leaving on a permanent deal to Sheffield United. Gained the Villans £15 million with the transfer. | Getty Images