For Aston Villa, there has been an understandable air of optimism surrounding the club since Steven Gerrard’s arrival.
The ex-Rangers boss has already shown his appeal in the transfer market, and there is an expectation that Villa could be busy again in the coming months.
But what exactly does the future hold for Aston Villa going forward?
We took to Football Manager 2022 to find out.
The popular video game franchise is renowned for its meticulous detail and authentic approach to the world of, well, football management, and we thought we’d take a look into the future by fast forwarding to the end of the 2026 transfer summer transfer window.
For one thing, Gerrard is long gone, and has been replaced by highly-regarded Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, who is being heavily linked with Manchester United in real life.
With him, ten Hag brings a renewed sense of purpose to Villa Park, and the Villans do a fairly admirable job of breaking their way into the so-called ‘Big Six’ under his guidance.
Check out Villa’s new look squad below...
But what exactly does the future hold for Aston Villa going forward?
5. LB: Lucas Digne
After signing for Villa under Steven Gerrard, the Frenchman is still going strong in 2026.
6. CM: Yago Santiago
After failing to make an impression at Tottenham, Santiago boosts his profile with five years at Deportivo La Coruna before signing for Villa in a deal worth around £6.5m.
7. CM: John McGinn
Another stalwart who lasts the distance, the Scot is still a key figure for club and country.
8. RW: Emiliano Buendia
The Argentina international has 27 goals in 142 outings for Villa by the time 2026 rolls around, and remains a vital cog in their attacking lineup.