Yahoo News Unai Emery must complete two more Aston Villa transfers as part of ruthless overhaul
Once Unai Emery doesn't consider you to be a part of his plans, very few players have historically managed to force their way back into his thinking. At Aston Villa, Emery's ruthless approach to the personnel at his disposal has been evident. Like with every manager in football, the squad they inherit often isn't anything like the one they envision in the long run and Emery's appointment at Villa prompted the end of a few spells.
Having pored over the squad assembled largely by Steven Gerrard and Dean Smith - with the help of Johan Lange and Suso in those respective tenures - Emery quickly decided on the core group of players he would work with and those who he would seek to move on. A host of players who had arrived in the wake of their promotion were given chances to leave.
In his first transfer window in charge, Emery conducted a bit of a clear-out mission; the loans of Ludwig Augustinsson and Jan Bednarek were unceremoniously ended prematurely. Danny Ings was sold. Marvelous Nakamba and Frederic Guilbert were told to find new clubs. Morgan Sanson was loaned after Emery had had a look at him.
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Even the club's youngsters were assessed. Cameron Archer, Aaron Ramsey and Louie Barry were loaned out, and Tyreik Wright and Indiana Vassilev were permanently moved on. Emery recalled Bertrand Traore to tide the club over until the end of the season before he too was discarded. After the signings of Jhon Duran and Alex Moreno, Emery was able to recruit a higher calibre of player in the summer.
Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres, Moussa Diaby, Clement Lenglet and Nicolo Zaniolo were signed up to beef up the squad for the extra matches in Europe, but the moving on of players continued. Ashley Young was released. The luckless Wesley was permitted a transfer. Nakamba left for good to join Luton. Emery decided to make calls on Archer, Ramsey, Keinan Davis and Jaden Philogene.
News is coming out of France now that Sanson, who joined Nice in the summer on loan, has triggered the relevant clauses to ensure that his switch back to his homeland can now be made a permanent arrangement. Sanson is just another player who Emery, after a brief assessment and run-out against Stevenage in the FA Cup, decided wasn't what he was after. Sanson was by no means alone, either.
There remain two high profile, senior, international players out on loan who at this stage you'd have to fear for the futures of under Emery. Gerrard during his time in charge sanctioned moves for both Leander Dendoncker and his former teammate Philippe Coutinho, but neither - barring an electric start to the initial loan of the latter - made significant enough impacts and the Spaniard has been quick to allow both players to leave.
Dendoncker's January move to Napoli has been a disaster. A change in management in Naples has done him no favours. Indeed the Belgian hasn't played a single minute since February and was left out of their Champions League squad. He'll return this summer with two years remaining on his Villa contract.
Coutinho has been playing more regularly, out in Qatar, with Al Duhail under former Argentina striker Hernan Crespo. He's played regularly and has contributed to eight goals in 21 appearances. Like Dendoncker's, Coutinho's contract at Villa runs until 2026 too.
Undoubtedly, Villa and Emery will have more plans to invest within the FFP rules this summer, especially if they - as is expected at this stage - secure Champions League football. Shifting Dendoncker and Coutinho would go a long way to aiding their intentions to spend in recruitment. Sanson has now headed for the door in the departure lounge, and Dendoncker and Coutinho are likely to follow - Emery's overhaul of the squad is almost complete.
