Aston Villa

Hannah Gowen
Fan writer

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Aston Villa are no strangers to selling some of their most prized assets.

It wasn't too long ago that the club parted ways with academy darling Jack Grealish for a then British record £100m. More recently, there were PSR-juggling deals for Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey.

While Morgan Rogers' departure is another bitter reminder of the financial gap between Villa and their peers, it is a mammoth profit on a young player at the opportune moment.

Rogers arrived at Villa as a relative unknown - a Manchester City academy graduate with a year in the Championship under his belt. He was thrown in at the deep end and quickly became a guaranteed starter under Unai Emery.

In his two and a half years in claret and blue, Rogers amassed well in excess of 100 appearances, more than 50 goal contributions, a PFA Young Player of the Year award and, most importantly, a European trophy.

There is no doubt Emery is losing one of the most exciting young British talents of the past few years. The Midlands boy has had a significant impact on the team, and for that he will be etched into club history.

However, for too long, those in charge at Villa have failed to capitalise on player values at the right time. The £117m fee, with a portion heading back to Middlesborough, is a sum that helps towards a partial squad rebuild, with Johan Manzambi and Joao Gomes already through the doors.

This comes at a pivotal moment, too, as Emery looks to build on last season's European glory. The squad that finished the last campaign was aging, with many players on high wages and running deep into their contracts. A refresh of faces felt inevitable.

Football is a business, now more than ever, and there is very little room for sentimentality.

For fans, Rogers departs on a high, and leaves behind a plethora of unforgettable memories. From here, recruitment and reinvestment of receipts will be critical for the next chapter of success at Aston Villa.

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Aston Villa are weighing up a move for Crysencio Summerville as they look to replace 23-year-old England attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers, who is set to join Chelsea. (Talksport), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Thirty-four years ago a £13m transfer caused national outrage in Italy.

When AC Milan signed Gianluigi Lentini from Torino in 1992 for a then world record fee, newspapers called the deal "obscene", while the Vatican's official newspaper described it as "an offence against the dignity of work".

Today that fee would barely register among the Premier League's biggest transfers.

This summer alone Chelsea have agreed a club record £117m deal for Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, Manchester City paid Nottingham Forest £116m for Elliot Anderson, and Tottenham spent a club record £100m on Sandro Tonali.

These are not the only major deals. Tottenham also agreed an £85m move for West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, Barcelona paid £69m to sign Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United, and Manchester United spent £50m on Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos.

It is the first transfer window in Premier League history to produce three £100m-plus signings - and there are still weeks to go before deadline day on 1 September.

During the 2025 summer window English top-flight clubs spent a record £3bn.

So why are transfer fees continuing to climb? Why are clubs paying record sums for players already playing in England? And why are more clubs willing to sell some of their biggest stars?

Read more here on the big spending taking place in the Premier League

Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

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Aston Villa defender Lucas Digne is in Paris undergoing a medical before completing a move to European champions Paris St-Germain.

The 33-year-old finished his World Cup campaign with France at the weekend and is expected to sign a three-year contract at the Parc des Princes.

Digne is likely to provide competition for first-choice left-back Nuno Mendes. He is leaving Villa Park after a release clause, reportedly worth about £8.5m, was activated in his contract.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Aston Villa needed to move after Amadou Onana suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury on duty at the World Cup with Belgium, which threw a major spanner in Villa's transfer plans this summer.

With Youri Tielemans being sold, Villa had a gaping hole in their midfield, even if Boubacar Kamara is due to return from his own serious knee injury, which he suffered in January.

Joao Gomes arrives with the experience and Premier League know-how to hit the ground running under manager Unai Emery.

Emery wants ready-made players equipped to understand his methods quickly and Gomes should fit the bill well.

A combative player, he made the third most tackles in the Premier League last season with 107, behind Everton's James Garner and Joao Palhinha, who was on loan at Tottenham from Bayern Munich and whom Villa also hold an interest in this summer.

Gomes' ball recoveries were the fourth highest in the division - he won possession 194 times.

With 116 Premier League appearances in his three and a half years at Molineux, there is plenty of experience as Villa move into a new era following last season's Europa League win.

Gomes arrives at a fair price with Villa needing to walk the financial tightrope to ensure they comply with Premier League and Uefa financial regulations.

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Aston Villa have signed Joao Gomes from Wolves for £38m - a second deal for a central midfielder in four days.

The Brazil international joins for an initial £34m with £4m in add-ons, after three years and 130 appearances during his time at Molineux.

Villa completed a club record deal worth more than £50m for Freiburg midfielder Johan Manzambi on Friday after beating Newcastle to the Switzerland international.

Atletico Madrid had also been keen on Gomes but the 25-year-old left Wolves' training camp in Portugal on Thursday to have a medical and finalise his move to Villa Park.

Villa midfielder Amadou Onana is out until next year after suffering a serious knee injury with Belgium at the World Cup, while fellow midfielder Morgan Rogers is set to leave after Villa agreed a £117m deal with Chelsea.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Hull are interested in signing Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey.

The Jamaica international will be allowed to leave Villa Park with the club looking to trim the wage bill and average age of the squad.

Hull, who are also signing left-back Matt Targett on a free transfer, having limited funds this summer and any deal for Bailey may be an initial loan.

The Tigers are planning for the Premier League after winning the Championship play-offs last season but had to sell goalkeeper Ivor Pandur to Rangers and midfielder Aidon Shehu to Panathinaikos to avoid a possible points deduction.

Striker Kyle Joseph also joined Middlesbrough for around £4m.

The EFL's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) restrict Championship clubs to losses of £39m over three years. Hull had an overspend of about £6m for the period to 2025-26.

Bailey, 28, spent the first half of last season at Roma before being recalled by Villa in January.

There was no recall clause in the deal but given Bailey's lack of minutes - starting just two games - and Villa's need for an extra body it was decided he would return.

He made 19 appearances for Villa, scoring once, as they finished fourth in the Premier League and won the Europa League.

Bailey joined Villa from Bayer Leverkusen for £25m in 2021 and has scored 23 goals in 163 appearances.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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It is a new era for Aston Villa - and Johan Manzambi will be one of the poster boys.

After ending a 30-year wait for a trophy with May's Europa League triumph, Villa have broken their transfer record to sign the Switzerland midfielder in a deal worth more than £50m from Freiburg.

Newcastle were close to signing Manzambi last week only for Villa to step in and snatch him.

They are also due to seal a £38m move for Wolves' Joao Gomes - but it is 20-year-old Manzambi who represents the start of something different at Villa Park.

He was being coveted by more than half of the Premier League and ⁠represents the start of a Villa refresh.

Manzambi had been on Villa's watchlist since the start of last season, and there was always an expectation he would move this summer.

Having excelled in the Bundesliga and helped Freiburg to the Europa League final where they lost to Villa, the calculated risk to make him the club's record signing is seen as one which is worth it.

His versatility - especially with Onana's serious knee injury - makes him even more important.

Last term Manzambi - who won Europa League young player of the season - ranked first for 10-plus metre progressive carries (116) in the Bundesliga, shot-ending carries (13) and fouls won (78) as opponents tried to stop him.

He was the most fouled player in the Bundesliga ⁠and only Yan Diomande, Bazoumana Toure and Can Uzun were younger with more goals and assists in the division.

He was second for total take-ons (71), opposition half take-ons (52) and total carry progress (2,476 metres).

Last term Tielemans averaged 10 metres for his progressive carries with a total of 109, with Onana making just 75, while just three of Tielemans' carries ended with a shot.

• Read more on Manzambi

Morgan Rogers will have a medical with Chelsea on Monday after returning from international duty with England at the 2026 World Cup.

Rogers, who was previously on the books of Manchester City, joined Villa from Middlesbrough in February 2024 in a deal worth £8m, rising to £15m.

Due to a clause giving Middlesbrough 20% of any profit made by Villa for selling Rogers in the future, the Championship club will earn at least £20.4m from his transfer to Chelsea, depending on how many add-ons have been triggered at Villa Park.

Boro believe it is also an English record for the largest transfer sell-on fee.

Rogers scored 21 goals in 85 league appearances for Unai Emery's men and was part of the team that won the Europa League last season.

He has made 22 senior England appearances, scoring once, and featured in seven games at this summer's World Cup.

Rogers is the second Villa midfielder to depart this week following Youri Tielemans' £35m move to Manchester United, but they have brought in Switzerland international Johan Manzambi in a deal worth more than £50m from Freiburg and lined up Wolves' Joao Gomes for £38m.

• Read more on the Rogers deal

European champions Spain broke the resistance of 10-man Argentina in extra-time to win their second ever World Cup in New Jersey.

Barcelona's Ferran Torres was the difference maker in what was an overall disappointing final that was littered with interruptions.

Spain created the best opportunities against the defending world champions, who mainly resorted to spoiling tactics and had Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez sent off just before the game went into extra time.

Torres was the hero for Spain when he collected substitute Nico Williams' header to beat Argentina and Aston Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez with a powerful shot from close range after 106 minutes.

Seven Premier League players will now return to their five respective clubs for the new 2026-27 season having won the biggest honour in world football.

Aston Villa have held talks with Chelsea over the possibility of signing both Nicolas Jackson and Alejandro Garnacho this summer. (Teamtalk), external

Bologna's 23-year-old English winger Jonathan Rowe remains on Aston Villa and Chelsea's shortlists. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external

AC Milan's Portugal forward Rafael Leao would prefer a move to the Premier League rather than Turkey, with Aston Villa a potential destination for the 27-year-old. (Gazzetta - in Italian), external

Juventus' number one goalkeeping target is Aston Villa's 33-year-old Argentina international Emiliano Martinez, while the Serie A club is also keeping an eye on Fiorentina's 35-year-old Spain goalkeeper David de Gea. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external

Norwegian side Hamarkameratene are in talks to sign 20-year-old Aston Villa's striker Rory Wilson on loan. Anthony Joseph on X, external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

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Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez will help Argentina's bid for back-to-back World Cups against Spain - live on the BBC from 19:00 BST - while also bidding for his second title.

Martinez was Villa's first player to reach a World Cup final and played a crucial role in Argentina's victory in 2022, saving one spot-kick in the shootout against France.

He then picked up the Golden Glove award before his side collected the trophy.

Since then, he has won the 2024 Copa America and had club success with Villa in the Europa League.

The 33-year-old has started all seven games at this tournament so far, keeping two clean sheets in Argentina's journey to the final.

Can Villa's number one make it back-to-back World title wins? Only European champions Spain stand in their way.

Watch the World Cup final on the BBC

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We asked for your views about how excited you are about the signing of Johan Manzambi and whether the Switzerland international and Joao Gomes from Wolves are enough to replace Youri Tielemans and the injured Amadou Onana.

Here are some of your comments:

Sam: Great signing and looking forward to seeing what Johan brings. Our transfer business is beginning to look very similar to how we sold Jack Grealish - get the players in before the big sale. Got a feeling this might mean we may not see Morgan Rogers back after the World Cup, which is a concern.

Simon: Very good signing. Sad to see Tielemans leave but that's modern day football business for you, I suppose. Gomes is also a solid signing. Pleased to have him on board after losing Onana for the season. This will be a very difficult season where I see us with a struggle on our hands. All that being said, this was always going to be an upheaval. In Unai, I trust! UTV!

Phil: Totally underwhelmed with this signing. We are replacing proven Premier League quality with a gamble on a young player from a mid-table team in a league that is totally different to the English top flight.

Rob: Too soon to make any judgements yet. Several more to come in and maybe one big outgoing just to satisfy the PSR vultures. Reports of Joao Palhinha on loan and Pervis Estupinan, if as expected, Lucas Digne goes to PSG. That should further bolster our resources and with Boubacar Kamara and Alysson now fit and several quality youngsters about to breakthrough, the season ahead should be exciting.

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So, Aston Villa have completed the signing of midfielder Johan Manzambi from Freiburg for a club record fee of just over £50m.

The 20-year-old scored three goals for Switzerland as they reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup before losing to Argentina.

He was named Europa League Young Player of the Season as Freiburg were defeated by Villa in the final, and scored seven goals in 47 appearances last term to help his side finish seventh in the Bundesliga.

Villa are also close to completing the £38m signing of Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes who left the Championship club's training camp in Portugal on Thursday to have a medical.

Villa need midfield reinforcements after selling Youri Tielemans to Manchester United for £35m as the Red Devils triggered the Belgium international's release clause.

Unai Emery's side are also without Amadou Onana until next year after he suffered a serious knee injury at the World Cup with Belgium.

Villa fans, how exciting a signing is Manzambi? And would he and Gomes be enough to replace replace the departed Tielemans and the injured Onana?

Get in touch with your views here

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With pre-season officially in full swing, we asked you to tell us what you're looking forward to about club football returning.

Here are some of your replies:

Leigh: Three things: 1) What our team, and principally our midfield, will look like on day one. 2) What the stadium and the North Stand developments look like and how work on them will affect the atmosphere at Villa Park. 3) What this new kit looks like in the flesh, especially with this mysterious and subtle hue of blue replacing the classic version.

Michaela: Even though I'm super excited for another amazing season, I'm broken hearted about Lucas Digne's upcoming departure. I loved watching his 'another one' on Facebook after a great win.

Harjinder: I'm sad to hear about Youri Tielemans and Digne's departures, but on the plus side, if we get Johan Manzambi, Joao Gomes and Joao Palhinha in this transfer window, I would be made up! We need another forward and then we will be OK.

Prit: As an Aston Villa supporter for more years than I care to remember, I am really looking forward to the transfer window closing and us hopefully having still kept hold of Morgan Rogers, Emi Martinez, Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins and John McGinn. Every summer is always a nerve-jangling time as we have to fend off the vultures taking advantage of the draconian PSR rules.

Kevin: I'm looking forward to having another successful season, getting top four in the league, winning the Carabao Cup or FA Cup, and doing well in the Champions League.

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Former Aston Villa forward Garry Thompson believes Johan Manzambi could be a "great signing" for Villa as they close in on deals for the Swiss international and Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes.

Manzambi lit up the World Cup with his nation - scoring three goals and providing two assists as Switzerland made the quarter-finals - and looks set to make the move to Villa Park this summer.

Gomes also looks close to making the switch to join Unai Emery's side with a £38m deal close to being completed.

Speaking to BBC Radio West Midlands about Manzambi, Thompson said: "I think he's a talented kid. We saw him show a little bit at Freiburg and then he gets in the Switzerland squad, there's talk about him and he was the little spark they had.

"He looked very, very good. He's one of them that you think Unai could do a lot with and he could turn him into another Morgan Rogers type that starts a lot of games. I think that could potentially be a great signing."

And touching on the Gomes deal, Thompson said: "I heard early last season that Manchester United were looking at him and they're a big club.

"I've seen him play a lot of times but not really noticed him. But I spoke to Wolves experts who said he's good in tight areas, receiving the ball, he's a decent passer and aggressive as well."

Hit play below to hear more from Thompson on Villa's potential squad revamp, or listen on BBC Sounds here

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Arsenal have expressed an interest in Aston Villa and England defender Ezri Konsa, 28. (Guardian), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes is poised to join Aston Villa in a deal worth £38m.

The Brazil international has left Wolves' training camp in Portugal and will have a medical on Thursday.

The deal is worth an initial £34m with another £4m in add ons.

They are also close to completing the signing of Switzerland international Johan Manzambi for a club record fee of over £50m from Freiburg.

Read more from Nick

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Former Aston Villa striker Gary Thompson has expressed his disappointment that Ollie Watkins did not get any game time during England's World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina on Wednesday.

Watkins only played six minutes during the tournament - as a late substitute in the dead rubber final group game against Panama - and was not turned to by Thomas Tuchel as the Three Lions chased the game in Atlanta.

Instead, the German bought on three defenders with the score at 1-0, and Ivan Toney and Marcus Rashford after Argentina turned it round to lead 2-1.

"I'm disappointed for Ollie because he never got a sniff at all," Thompson told BBC Radio WM.

"I kept thinking, especially when we needed to stretch the play in the second half, we needed someone like him to send the ball to in attack.

"With a couple minutes to go when I saw Ivan Toney lining up, I thought: 'What's that all about?'

"I feel sorry for Ollie but he did have a great end to the season and I am looking forward to seeing him next season for Villa."

Villa team-mate Morgan Rogers did start the last-four tie and assisted England's goal, while Ezri Konsa was dropped to the bench.

"Rogers showed a lot of intelligence and ability on the right-hand side and put in a lovely cross for the goal for Anthony Gordon," Thompson added.

"Hopefully he will still be at Villa next season because there are a lot of rumours.

"The Villa players held their own and did all right. I felt bad for Konsa being left out but these things happen. You just have to suck these things up and carry on."

Listen to the full chat from 08:14 on BBC Sounds