Aston Villa have already spent heavily on their midfield this summer, yet the need for one more body has never really gone away.
Unai Emery has not been adding players to a settled department, he’s been rebuilding an area stripped of several important pieces in a matter of weeks.
Youri Tielemans joined Man United after becoming one of Villa’s most trusted players, while Morgan Rogers completed a huge move to Chelsea.
Rogers often operated higher up the pitch, but his departure still removed ball carrying, invention and an important link between midfield and attack.
|
Aston Villa’s midfield situation |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Summer development |
Reported fee |
Role/profile |
Key impact |
|
Youri Tielemans |
Joined Man United |
£35m |
Deep creator and tempo setter |
Villa have lost their most controlled passer and an important source of leadership. |
|
Morgan Rogers |
Joined Chelsea |
£117m |
Attacking midfielder and ball carrier |
His departure removes creativity, physical running and a link between midfield and attack. |
|
Amadou Onana |
Suffered an ACL injury with Belgium |
N/A |
Powerful defensive midfielder |
Expected to miss much of the season, leaving Villa without one of their strongest and most imposing midfielders. |
|
Enzo Barrenechea |
Benfica made his previous loan permanent |
Around €12m |
Deep midfielder |
A permanent exit, although he was not part of Emery’s first team last season. |
|
João Gomes |
Signed from Wolves |
£38m |
Aggressive ball winner |
Adds tackling, pressing and Premier League experience, but is not a direct replacement for Tielemans’ creativity. |
|
Johan Manzambi |
Signed from Freiburg |
Up to £59.5m |
Mobile attacking midfielder |
Offers dribbling, energy and positional flexibility following Rogers’ departure. |
|
Boubacar Kamara |
Returned from a serious knee injury |
N/A |
Holding midfielder |
His recovery gives Emery a disciplined anchor who could balance Gomes, Manzambi or Goretzka. |
|
John McGinn |
Remains at Villa |
N/A |
Versatile central midfielder |
Offers continuity, leadership and the ability to cover several midfield roles. |
|
Ross Barkley |
Remains at Villa |
N/A |
Experienced squad midfielder |
Provides depth, although he is unlikely to be the centrepiece of Emery’s rebuilt midfield. |
The biggest blow came at the World Cup, with Amadou Onana rupturing his ACL while playing for Belgium and now faces a long recovery.
João Gomes and Johan Manzambi have arrived for major fees as part of the response.
Gomes brings aggression, tackling and Premier League experience. Manzambi is younger and more unpredictable, with the freedom to play centrally or closer to the forwards.
Boubacar Kamara remains an excellent holding option and John McGinn can still perform several jobs. Even so, Villa’s return to the Champions League means Emery needs more than one strong starting pair.
He requires different combinations for different opponents, plus enough experience to guide a midfield that has changed very quickly.
The final addition needed to offer maturity and qualities not already available elsewhere in the squad, with Villa recently trying to sign Joao Palhinha before the Portuguese opted for Benfica.
The search for another midfielder has now led Villa to Leon Goretzka, and the move appears to be done.
Leon Goretzka agrees to join Aston Villa after Unai Emery phone call
Fabrizio Romano has now reported on X that Goretzka to Villa is done, with the German free agent set to undergo a medical next week after agreeing to join.
Interestingly, a direct phone call from Emery is said to have played a key role in convincing the player.
Goretzka is available without a transfer fee after ending a successful eight-year spell at Bayern Munich.
The 31-year-old leaves Germany with 15 trophies, including the 2020 Champions League, and that experience matters. Villa have recruited exciting younger players, but Goretzka is accustomed to title races, European knockout games and intense pressure.
He is not a straight replacement for Tielemans. The Belgian dictated the speed of matches through his passing, whereas Goretzka is a more forceful box-to-box midfielder.
His best work often comes when he can break forward, attack space beyond the forwards and arrive late inside the penalty area.
Emery regularly uses a double pivot, but one of those midfielders can advance when the other holds his position. Goretzka could operate alongside Kamara or Gomes, knowing a more defensive partner is protecting the centre.
His pressing should help too.
Villa want to squeeze the pitch after losing possession, and Goretzka has the experience to recognise when to move towards the ball. His ability to compete for second balls could help Villa sustain attacks rather than allowing opponents to escape.
As a fairly tall player, he can also attack crosses and provide extra protection when defending set pieces.
Villa will need to manage his workload at 31, while he should not be asked to operate as a lone holding midfielder. His forward runs could leave gaps if the structure behind him is loose.
The potential reward for Villa is clear, though.
Goretzka offers physicality, European experience and a genuine threat from midfield with zero transfer fee. If the medical is completed as planned with no unexpected hiccups, Emery may have found the senior figure his rebuilt engine room was missing.
