Aston Villa could well be set for a season of transition in the Premier League, as Unai Emery comes to terms with the departures of multiple key senior squad members.
Losing the likes of Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins would prove to be a challenge for any manager – but if there’s anyone who can deal with it, it’s Emery.
The hierarchy have certainly backed him with some big-money additions in recent weeks, with Nicolas Jackson and Ibrahim Mbaye set to join for a combined £120m before the window closes.
However, despite the recent heavy spending, the club are on the hunt for further reinforcements – but it could be a promising young talent who helps deliver the goods in 2026/27.
Why Madjo could be crucial for Aston Villa after Watkins’ departure
Losing a player who netted 21 goals across all competitions last season may appear to be a damaging blow, but Villa appear to be trying to replace such a talent.
Jackson and Mbaye are now close to signing, which could see the Senegalese pair link up with 17-year-old wonderkid Brian Madjo upon any move to the West Midlands.
Despite his tender age, the teenager has already made a hugely impressive start to his professional career – scoring against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup final at the start of August.
The Englishman bullied the likes of Willian Pacho and Marquinhos during such an encounter, which saw him produce a display way beyond his teenage years.
Undoubtedly, Emery will want to gently ease Madjo into the senior game, but his immediate form upon being selected will hand the manager little choice but to utilise the forward on a consistent basis.
Watkins’ departure has opened the door for the youngster to fight Jackson for a starting role at Villa Park, but the supporters may have to wait a tad longer to see the wonderkid in action.
|
Brian Madjo’s pre-season form |
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|---|---|
|
Opposition |
Goals |
|
Bayern Munich |
0 |
|
Pathum United |
0 |
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Indonesia XI |
1 |
|
Real Sociedad |
1 |
|
Porto |
0 |
|
Walsall |
2 |
|
Elche |
0 |
His ongoing injury issues could see him miss the next month of action, with the teenager once again having to stake his claim for a starting role upon his return to fitness.
How Aston Villa could replace Madjo
His subsequent setback has seen Villa ramp up their efforts to land another centre-forward option before the summer window closes on Tuesday evening.
Jean-Philippe Mateta appeared on their radar last week, but his current hamstring issue has cast major doubt over Emery’s men returning another offer.
As a result, other options are now being explored, with Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane appearing as a genuine target before the window closes.
It’s been reported by journalist Pete O’Rourke that the Villans are now exploring a move for the Ivorian, but time is running out to complete a deal for the 20-year-old.
However, competition for his signature could be high in the next couple of days, with the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle United also said to be keen on the youngster.
No fee is mentioned for the attacker’s signature, with Leverkusen also said to be extremely reluctant to allow their main talisman to depart with such little time remaining in the market.
Regardless of the Bundesliga side’s desire to keep the attacker, Emery’s men could pull out all the stops to secure a deal for the talisman – who would massively improve the options at his disposal.
Any move would also see Madjo fall down the manager’s pecking order, but it’s understandable that such a decision would be made given the Ivorian’s quality in attacking areas.
Kofane managed to register an impressive tally of 1.4 shots on target per 90 last term, whilst placing 44% of his total shots from the 2025/26 campaign on target.
Both of the aforementioned tallies placed him in the top 20% of all attackers across Europe’s top-five leagues – subsequently showcasing his quality within attacking areas.
He also managed to complete 83% of the passes he attempted last season, which allowed him to create an average of 1.3 chances for his teammates per 90.
Such figures allow him to offer a creative side to those around him in attacking areas, which could see other forwards at Villa Park improve their own goalscoring tallies.
Kofane is a versatile option who can operate as a focal point or play off the final shoulder of the defender, which saw him complete 58% of the dribbles he attempted and led to his representative, Eric Depolo, labelling him the “best U21 striker in Europe.”
All of the aforementioned tallies showcase his all-round quality within the final third, which could hand Emery the calibre of striker needed to replace the departing Watkins.
As for Madjo, he will certainly be the biggest loser in any deal for the Leverkusen star – but in the long-term, it could prove to be a blessing in disguise as such a move takes the pressure off him to deliver in 2026/27.
