Monchi’s transfer record can be questioned but so can Villa’s policy over the last few years.Since promotion in 2019 under Dean Smith, they have spent more than £700m.Of course, Villa have banked in excess of £400m in sales in the same period but almost half of that is from the £100m deal which took Jack Grealish to Manchester City in 2021 and Jhon Duran’s £71m move to Al-Nassr in January.Villa have been under severe financial restrictions to comply with Premier League and Uefa spending rules, having been fined by the European governing body this year. They have been outspoken critics of Profit and Sustainability rules, insisting it has hampered their attempts to consistently compete with the top five [Villa voted against the introduction of the rules in 2015] but have still spent significant amounts. That includes the pre-Monchi £17m vanity project of Philippe Coutinho who joined Vasco De Gama this summer having not played for Villa for two years after making just seven league starts.They have broken their transfer record several times with the signings of Ollie Watkins, Emi Buendia, Moussa Diaby and, last year, Amadou Onana for £50m from Everton. Yet of the XI who started Sunday’s draw at Sunderland, just two were signed by Monchi and Emery – Morgan Rogers and Evann Guessand. John McGinn was signed by Steve Bruce in 2018 while two – Boubacar Kamara and Lucas Digne – joined under Steven Gerrard with the rest being signed by Smith, who was sacked nearly four years ago. Of Monchi’s signings, Rogers, who was pushed by Emery for an initial £8m, has been a success with the forward becoming an England international, with Youri Tielemans, a free transfer, and Pau Torres recognised as others. Yet Onana – currently out with a hamstring injury – started just 22 games due to injury last season, Diaby lasted a year, while Donyell Malen – a £21m signing from Dortmund in January – has made five starts. Marco Asensio’s loan from Real Madrid was a success in the second half of last season but Marcus Rashford’s temporary move from Manchester United did not pay off.The hit-and-miss nature of recent transfers means Emery has been reliant on a core of Smith signings: Emi Martinez, Matty Cash, Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Watkins. It strengthens Emery’s hand in that he has improved a squad which had previously struggled but suggests a larger problem with the transfer strategy, regardless of restrictions. Those at Villa Park were not entirely happy with the summer business – despite the deadline day additions of Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott – because they were unable to get the majority of their desired players due to finances. Yet, with Olabe focused on the medium-to-long term, there is likely to be an acceptance Villa have to grow in a different way with, potentially, more academy graduates. Olabe bought and sold Alexander Isak at Real Sociedad while he also signed Martin Odegaard on loan and oversaw Martin Zubimendi’s development before his £60m move to Arsenal. He will need to bring the same skill to help Villa develop, especially as they plot a new path.
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Aston Villa: Villa head into a new era but Unai Emery’s position at Premier League club remains strong
