Aston Villa are closing in on the first two of what they hope will be many summer signings, with a full agreement reached for Feyenoord striker Zepiqueno Redmond and a deal expected to be struck for Real Betis winger Jesus Rodriguez.
Birmingham World understands Redmond has said yes to Villa and will join up with the club’s under-21 team once his Feyenoord contract expires, officially making him a Villan from July 1 onwards. It’s also understood that talks have reached an advanced stage to sign Rodriguez from Betis, though other clubs are in the race.
Other than players leaving on free contracts, no outgoings have been confirmed just yet but Villa are expected to sanction at least one sale before the PSR deadline on June 30. Emiliano Martinez and Leon Bailey are among those who may be sacrificed to avoid sanctions from the Premier League.
It won’t be easy for Villa to sign too many players this summer given their financial restrictions but Unai Emery is hopeful he can add quality and depth in most positions. Replacements will be targeted for Martinez and Bailey if they are to leave as expected and a Marcus Rashford alternative will be signed on the left wing.
Villa are also eager to bring in a new central defender, a right-back, a central midfielder, a number 10 and a second striker. It won’t be possible to bring in new faces in all of those positions, however, so the business needs to be shrewd and well considered.
Who could the Villans sign this summer, then? And who could depart Villa Park to raise funds? The speculation has been rife over recent days, weeks and months, so Birmingham World has done the hard yards and sourced every single rumour since March. Without further ado, here’s a full run-through.
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29. Axel Disasi
Birmingham World understands Disasi has been spoken about as a potential permanent signing but only if Chelsea significantly lower their financial demands. It looks unlikely at this stage. | Getty Images

30. Joe Gomez
Empire of the Kop reported a month or so ago that Villa are among eight clubs with an interest in the versatile Liverpool defender. Gomez, a centre-back who can also play at right-back, is likely to depart Anfield this summer. | Liverpool FC via Getty Images

31. Aymeric Laporte
AS reports Laporte is looking to leave Saudi Arabia and return to England. Villa are one of several clubs mentioned as a potential destination for the Spain international centre-back. | AFP via Getty Images
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32. Federico Gatti
Caught Offside reported in June that Juventus’ Gatti is one of Villa’s several centre-back targets. The Italy international is also of interest to Tottenham. | Getty Images
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