Five top class signings Aston Villa could bag for free in January - including Bayern Munich and Juventus gems
A look at five big name stars that Villa could sign who are out of contract in the summer
After an underwhelming transfer window, Unai Emery will be looking to bolster his squad again in January.
Despite losing the likes of Jacob Ramsey and Leon Bailey in the summer, Aston Villa were one of the least busy teams in the Premier League in terms of incoming transfers. Emery’s only big money addition was Evann Guessand for around £30m from OGC Nice. He also completed the Deadline Day loans of Victor Lindelof, Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliot, however it is only the latter that has been a regular feature.
Villa’s poor transfer window came under more scrutiny after their poor start to the season. Lack of fire-power in the final third has been a real problem for Emery’s side, with their talisman Ollie Watkins out of form. Despite this, Villa have been undergoing somewhat of a mini-revival of late, with two wins in two against Bologna and Fulham respectively. Next up is a trip to the De Kuip, where they won the European Cup in 1982, as they prepare to face Feyenoord in the Europa League.
As one transfer window comes to a close, January is now only three months away, as Premier League teams will once again need to identify areas they need to strengthen. Here’s a look at five European talents that Villa could sign on a free.
Defenders who Aston Villa could sign for free in January
Dayot Upamecano - Perhaps the most sought after defender in world football at one stage, the powerful Bayern Munich man is a reliable figure at the back. With Bayern’s high line, the Frenchman often ends up in 1v1 situations with strikers, however very rarely gets beaten. As Emery also likes his teams to push high up the pitch, Upamecano would be an ideal option to leave as the last man in defence, plus he’s not bad with the ball at his feet either.
Eric Garcia - In a Barcelona side also used to living dangerously with their high line, the 24-year old has been a dependable figure who is more than comfortable playing out from the back. He joined the Catalan side from Manchester City in 2021 and has helped them win two La Liga titles since. Similar to Pau Torres in terms of his ball-playing abilities, Garcia is a player tailor made for an Emery side.
Midfielders and strikers Aston Villa could sign for free in January
Serge Gnabry - He may once have been on the books of West Brom which may tarnish his reputation amongst fans, but there’s no denying that the German has had an incredible career. Despite being at Bayern Munich for seemingly forever, the winger is still only 30-years old and still has a lot of life left in him. In a Villa side that have relied so heavily on Watkins for goals in recent years, if Gnabry could emulate his numbers in the Bundesliga at Villa Park, it would take a heap of pressure of their number nine.
Ruben Neves - With his Wolves connections it may be controversial, but the Portuguese star is far too good for the Saudi Pro League. Having spent seven years at Molineux, he may not currently be the most popular choice, but with his range of passing, calmness on the ball and knack for scoring screamers, Neves would be a great fit for Emery’s team. His contract at Al-Hilal expires in the summer.
Dusan Vlahovic - At only 25 years of age, the Juventus striker has achieved goalscoring double figures in each of his last three seasons in the Serie A and has picked up this year from where he left off. Since Jhon Duran left, no one has been able to challenge Watkins as the starting number nine, perhaps a bit of competition for places up front would be beneficial.