A Villa favourite and consistent performer for the club, according to the game. McGinn average rating was over 7.10 for the next few seasons and remained their vice-captain.A Villa favourite and consistent performer for the club, according to the game. McGinn average rating was over 7.10 for the next few seasons and remained their vice-captain.
A Villa favourite and consistent performer for the club, according to the game. McGinn average rating was over 7.10 for the next few seasons and remained their vice-captain.

How Aston Villa’s intriguing future line-up could look - according to Football Manager

The game predicts plenty of change at Villa Park in the coming seasons.

As Aston Villa continue to reestablish themselves as a top-eight Premier League side, supporters will be excited to see what direction the club’s future will take, especially since the arrival of Steven Gerrard as manager.

Though we don’t have Doctor Who’s Tardis to travel into the future, we do have the next best thing - Football Manager.

The popular video game franchise is renowned for its attention to detail and authentic approach to the world of football management, and we decided to take a look at the status of the club in five years to see if things at Villa Park have progressed.

Fast forward to 2026, and it’s all change for Villa.

Nine members of their current side are still in the match day squad, but the big news is that Steven Gerrard is no longer at the club.

The former English international survived four full seasons with Villa before being sacked in November 2025, with the club an established Premier League club by then.

Nevertheless, his signings since his arrival led to four top-eight finishes, while his last season didn’t go quite to plan, being dismissed with the club in the bottom-half of the table.

Check out Villa’s impressive new squad, according to Football Manager 2022, below…

The popular video game franchise is renowned for its attention to detail and authentic approach to the world of football management, and we decided to take a look at the status of the club in five years to see if things at Villa Park have progressed.

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