Five players set to leave Aston Villa this summer - including experienced £260k-a-week star

Aston Villa are approaching another important summer transfer window as they seek to continue their remarkable upward trajectory under Unai Emery.

The Villans are firmly in the Premier League top five fight, exceeded all expectations in the Champions League by reaching the quarter-finals and could yet win the FA Cup as they are preparing for a semi-final clash with Crystal Palace. All of these achievements have boosted the allure of the football club.

The months ahead are just as much about deciding what to do with the current crop than it is looking to bring in new additions. Everyone loves signings but Villa aren’t in a position to spend as they please because of the threat of falling back into the danger zone with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

Birmingham World understands much of the summer business, both incoming and outgoing, hinges heavily on qualifying for the Champions League. The good news, at least, is that a top-seven finish seems very likely and that should be enough for some kind of European football. But the Champions League would be a game changer as Villa wouldn’t be under as much pressure to sell players.

One thing that is for sure, there will be several first-teamers leaving regardless as contracts run down. There are also some loan players who might not be around next campaign, with decisions to follow for all at Villa Park on a temporary basis.

Five players on track to leave Aston Villa

Two Villa stars will be leaving this summer no matter what as their deals expire on June 30 and won’t be renewed.

Backup goalkeeper Robin Olsen is one, as the Sweden international has already agreed to join Allsvenskan club Malmo. The 35-year-old has made just 21 appearances for the Villans across three and a half years as he has played second fiddle to Emiliano Martinez.

The other player seeing their contract expire will have been forgotten by many. Central defender Kortney Hause, who hasn’t made a single appearance for Villa since January 2022, is set to move onto pastures new after finally recovering from a horrendous knee injury.

Then there are the three loan players: Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi. The trio will all depart on July 1 and not return unless Villa decide they want to proceed with attempts to sign them permanently.

It’s pretty common knowledge by now that Villa have a £40 million option to buy Rashford. The Manchester United loanee was in excellent form before his hamstring injury, so why not pay up and have him for the long term?

Well, there are several factors at play, including the fact Rashford wants his next club to be playing in the Champions League. Then there’s the financial side, with £40 million a substantial fee regardless of Rashford’s talent and experience. His wages could be a sticking point, too, as he currently earns £325,000 per week, £260,000 of which is paid by Villa.

There’s a chance one of - or both of - Asensio and Disasi could be around next season, but it’s not as straightforward as activating a clause like the case of Rashford.

Asensio is the likeliest as the three-time Champions League winner is entering the final 12 months of his Paris Saint-Germain contract and Les Parisiens are looking to sell. Disasi could be trickier to sign than Asensio as the defender still has four years left on his Chelsea deal. The Blues were also greedy to ask for £5 million for a six-month loan, so they’d likely demand a significant transfer fee.