Hello and welcome to our dedicated Aston Villa live blog.
Unai Emery’s side continued their mission to reach the top 10 with a win over Crystal Palace at the weekend. Villa have won back-to-back games, following a tricky run of results, to keep pace with Chelsea and just short of a place in the top half of the table.
It was an important victory for Villa, who have been in patchy form at Villa Park during the Spaniard’s time at the club, despite winning four of their five games on the road. The win over Palace also saw the club record their first clean sheet at B6 under Emery, which will please the Villa boss.
Away from Villa Park, reports in Portugal claimed that Villa had scouts in attendance at Sporting’s win over Portimonense to watch Pedro Goncalves. The versatile midfielder has registered an impressive 16 goals and eight assists in 36 games this season.
Elsewhere, it has been reported that Boubacar Kamara could be sidelined for a month after picking up an injury in the win over Palace. The holding midfielder has been one of Villa’s star performers since his free transfer from Marseille in the summer.
Stay tuned for Aston Villa updates throughout the day...
Key Events
How all 15 of Aston Villa loanees are getting on
We’re coming into the business-end of the season now with Villa’s loan rangers scrapping for promotion or fighting for survival. Here’s the latest Aston Villa loan round-up:
Morgan Sanson (Strasbourg)
Morgan Sanson opted to move to Ligue 1 in January in a bid for more game time. He’s currently alongside ex-Villan Frederic Guilbert with Strasbourg just ahead of the relegation zone on goal difference. Sanson, 28, has made six starts for his new club but missed their latest defeat to Stade Brest due to injury.
READ MORE: N'Golo Kante comparisons and phenomenal performances - Aston Villa loan latest
Villa 'on pole' to revive Kondogbia transfer
Aston Villa remain in the hunt for Atletico Madrid midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia, according to reports in Spain.
The 30-year-old has amassed an impressive CV throughout his career, having played for high-profile clubs such as Inter Milan, Sevilla and Valencia. The holding midfielder was also part of the Atleti side that won La Liga in 2021 but has once again found himself being used as a rotational player by Diego Simeone, being handed 10 league starts this term.
Kondogbia is a name that has previously been linked with a move to Villa Park as BirminghamLive reported that the midfielder was a “serious target” in the summer after former boss Steven Gerrard was spotted on a scouting mission. Villa may have changed managers since then but the midfielder is claimed to still be on their radar.
Villa predicted XI vs West Ham as Kamara replacement decided
Looking at Aston Villa's midfield ahead of West Ham this weekend and the question will be who partners Douglas Luiz?
It’d be a crying shame if John McGinn was tasked with moving deeper inside given his form playing on the right.
Leander Dendoncker, though, will be favourite to come in while Calum Chambers could also be trusted - as he was for the final half-hour against Palace.
READ MORE: Moreno drops out, Kamara replacement decided - Predicted Aston Villa XI vs West Ham
Villa linked with double swoop including Martinez replacement
Aston Villa have been linked with two players from cash-strapped Inter Milan, including a potential replacement for Emi Martinez.
Speculation over Martinez’s future has intensified since the 30-year-old played a pivotal role in Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar. Martinez, while expressing his love for Villa, has openly admitted he dreams of playing in the Champions League, fuelling speculation he could move to a top-four side in England or to a club in Italy or Spain.
While they are under no pressure to sell, Villa would reportedly ‘listen to offers’ for Martinez, whose current contract does not expire until 2027.
Villa 'interested' in Sevilla star striker
Aston Villa are interested in signing Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri, according to reports in Spain.
The 25-year-old has been in prolific goalscoring form since returning from Morocco’s magical journey to the World Cup semi-finals. En-Neysri has fired in 10 goals across 14 games in all competitions since the turn of the year, despite Sevilla hovering above the drop zone in La Liga on goal difference.
It is not the first time that the forward has been touted with a move away from Sevilla, with West Ham said to have made an offer in the recent January transfer window. However, Villa are reportedly preparing to challenge the Hammers for En-Nesyri in the summer.
Watkins on Arsenal 'list' amid prolific Villa form
Ollie Watkins is reportedly on Arsenal’s list of summer transfer targets again as speculation linking the Aston Villa ace with the Gunners resurfaces.
Watkins has regularly been linked with a move to Arsenal – the club he supported as a child – over the last couple of years. And that rumour has cranked into life again as the 27-year-old enjoys arguably the finest form of his career. Prior to Saturday’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, the former Brentford striker had scored in five successive games, the first Villa player ever to do so in the Premier League.
While Arsenal are enjoying a fabulous season and look well placed to clinch their first Premier League title since 2004, Mikel Arteta is set to bolster his forward options this summer.
Aston Villa could be without five players vs West Ham
Aston Villa could make it three wins on the spin for the first time under Unai Emery with victory over struggling West Ham United on Sunday (2pm).
Since losing back-to-back games against Leicester, Man City and Arsenal, Villa have roared back with triumphs over Everton and, last week, Crystal Palace. It’s also back-to-back clean sheets after a previous run of shipping 11 goals in three games.
Looking ahead to Villa’s trip to the London Stadium and Emery has been rocked by the injury to Boubacar Kamara. The Frenchman is now expected to miss the next cluster of fixtures while hoping to return before the season’s out.
Here’s the run-through of those currently in the treatment room at Bodymoor Heath and their respective return dates, while we also give you the squad Emery has available at the weekend.
READ MORE: Aston Villa injury list, return dates and full squad vs West Ham
Nelson has already made feelings clear on Emery amid Villa link
Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson, whose contract is due to expire this summer.
Nelson is the toast of the Emirates after his dramatic last-gasp winner which sealed a crucial 3-2 victory over Bournemouth at the weekend. However, his future in north London is far from secure having played a bit-part role in the Gunners’ surprise Premier League title challenge.
While it has emerged that Arsenal have opened contract talks with the 23-year-old, Villa, along with Everton and Leicester City, have all been linked with the player.
Rice gives 'demoralising' West Ham verdict
Aston Villa will hope for a repeat performance from West Ham this weekend after Declan Rice delivered a brutal verdict on the club’s defeat to Brighton.
The Hammers were subjected to a humiliating 4-0 loss on the south coast, which leaves David Moyes ’ side a point above the relegation zone. It continues a frustrating season for West Ham, who had enjoyed a 4-0 win of their own against Nottingham Forest in their previous Premier League outing
West Ham have a busy week ahead as they kick-start their Europa Conference League round of 16 tie in Cyprus on Thursday before hosting Villa on Sunday. Declan Rice gave an honest assessment of his team’s performance against Brighton and will be hoping the Hammers can respond positively after apologising to supporters in his post-match interview.
Arsenal hero linked with Emery reunion at Villa
Aston Villa are reportedly among a clutch of clubs monitoring Reiss Nelson’s situation at Arsenal as the winger approaches the end of his contract.
Nelson is the talk of the Emirates after scoring the Gunners’ most important goal of the season so far, coming off the bench to blast in a last-gasp winner against Bournemouth and restore their five-point cushion at the top of the Premier League.
However, the 23-year-old’s future is far from certain, with his contract due to expire in the summer. Nelson has been a bit-part player in the Gunners’ surprise title challenge and could leave the Emirates in pursuit of regular first-team football.
What Aston Villa really spent on transfers
Aston Villa’s latest accounts show that they’ve lost £204 million since the takeover of Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens in 2018. The club did, though, bank their first profit in over a decade of £300,000 for the year ending May 2022.
Villa ending in the black last year was largely down to the £100m sale of Jack Grealish, while £203m was spent on the signings of Emiliano Buendia (below), Leon Bailey, Lucas Digne and Danny Ings, plus the signing-on fees of Calum Chambers, Ashley Young, Philippe Coutinho (loan), Robin Olsen (loan) and former loanee Axel Tuanzebe.
READ MORE: Revealed: What Aston Villa really spent on transfers as Christian Purslow explains key strategy
Barcelona ruled out of Villa transfer battle
Barcelona have been ruled out of the transfer battle for reported Aston Villa target Alberto Moleiro.
The attacking midfielder has starred for Las Palmas in their push for promotion to La Liga. The 19-year-old, often compared to Barcelona’s Pedri, has been a virtual ever-present for the Canarian side, who sit top of the Segunda Division, collecting eight assists in 29 games.
Villa were said to be “closely monitoring” the Spain u21 international in January, though it appeared Barcelona were the frontrunners for Moleiro’s signature. However, Barca’s perilous financial situation means that Villa’s chances of agreeing a deal have been given a boost ahead of the summer transfer window.
Grealish overtakes Kane after signing £10m a year deal
Jack Grealish could rake in a staggering annual sum after signing the most lucrative boot deal in British football history.
The former Aston Villa star has swapped Nike for Puma in a tie-up which could reportedly see him net an incredible £10m per season over the next five years. Having signed for Nike as a teenager, Grealish will now become the new face of Puma.
Nike were reportedly unable to match Puma due to their large roster of athletes. Grealish will wear PUMA Future Ultimate football boots on the pitch, says the German manufacturer.
Moyes facing West Ham 'discontent' ahead of Villa
David Moyes is reportedly facing discontent within the West Ham dressing room ahead of their clash with Aston Villa on Sunday.
The Hammers have qualified for Europe in back-to-back seasons under Moyes, enjoying a rapid rise in recent years after initially surviving the threat of relegation. West Ham splashed out £150m in the summer on new signings as they looked to launch a bid for the top four but have fallen way short of their own ambitions.
Moyes ’ side currently sit a point above the drop zone after a humbling 4-0 defeat to Brighton. And are set for an important week for the club. The team kicks off their Europa Conference League round of 16 tie on Thursday before hosting Villa at the weekend but some West Ham players are claimed to be unhappy with the manager’s tactics.
Who is Pedro Goncalves?
Aston Villa are reportedly interested in a summer transfer swoop for Sporting winger Pedro Goncalves.
The Portuguese is said to have been scouted by Villa on more than one occasion and appeals to Unai Emery for his impressive form in the Primeira Liga in recent seasons. Last season, Goncalves chipped in with 18 goal contributions in 28 league games, which came after he helped the club win the league title in 2020/21.
This term, the 24-year-old has continued his fine form by scoring 12 goals and making six assists in 22 appearences. His current contract runs out in 2026 and appears to be settled at Sporting after joining the club from Famalicao in August 2020.
Goncalves scouting trip emerges
Aston Villa reportedly scouted Sporting winger Pedro Goncalves at the weekend as the club look ahead to the summer window.
The 24-year-old has been thriving in Ruben Amorim’s side, with the Portugal international clocking up 16 goals and eight assists in 36 games this term. This is far from a one-off, either, as Goncalves has accumulated 81 goal involvements in 114 games since signing from Familicao in 2020.
The versatile midfielder spent time with Wolves as a younger player and his performances for Sporting are claimed to have attracted attention from other Premier League sides in the past. However, reports in Portugal have stated that Villaare carrying out their due diligence before potentially making a move in the summer.
Kamara injury update
Aston Villa Boubacar Kamara is set to miss at least one month of action due to injury, according to reports.
The France international sustained an ankle injury in the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday and will now miss at least five Premier League matches, as per The Athletic.
Kamara left the pitch just before the hour mark after a poor tackle from Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure, who was then sent off after picking up two yellow cards. However, the Villa ace couldn't leave the pitch without assistance from two members of the club's medical team.
Good morning
Morning Villans and welcome to our dedicated Aston Villa blog.
Let's start with a few of the latest headlines from around Villa Park...
