Unai Emery admits surprising Aston Villa transfer plan for Deadline Day

Unai Emery has admitted Aston Villa won't make any more signings before the January transfer window shuts, with Morgan Rogers set to be the last winter addition ahead of a quiet Deadline Day.

The business has been focused on improving for the future rather than the here and now, with Rogers expected to follow Kosta Nedeljković through the doors at Villa Park in a £15 million deal. Departures could still go through as Emery is hoping to let Calum Chambers and Bertrand Traoré leave, while Leander Dendoncker has already completed a loan-to-buy transfer to Napoli.

Supporters may be a little disappointed with the lack of incomings but Villa are walking a tightrope with the profit and sustainability rules, so it was never going to be an action-packed window. Emery has assured that won't change before the transfer deadline. "Definitely not," the head coach told Birmingham World when asked if there would be any more additions after Rogers.

It may come as a surprise that not a single other player is set to arrive before 11pm on February 1, especially given how many transfer rumours there have been. That's the reality, though, and Emery is confident his squad is capable of competing. He's also exuberant about what Rogers can bring once signed.

"We analysed him and we followed him with a scout, as well when we played Middlesbrough," Emery said after the 3-1 defeat to Newcastle United. "Hopefully tomorrow [Wednesday] we can sign him and he can start his new chapter here.

"We are motivated and excited to work with him. He’s a young player, he can adapt to our style of play. Hopefully tomorrow he can sign and can start working with us and exploiting his qualities as a player," Emery continued.