Aston Villa have a new-look midfield for the 2024/25 season and manager Unai Emery will need to quickly find his preferred combination of new faces if the club are to continue their meteoric rise in the Premier League.
With the football world waiting 41 years for their first Champions League appearance, there aren't many managers who will be faced with rebuilding their midfield ahead of the new season.
That is exactly what will be required of Emery as he heads into the new campaign looking to fill the hole left in his side. Douglas Lewis He left the club to join Juventus.
Luiz, who signed from Manchester City for £15m in 2019, was outstanding for Villa last season and was a key factor in the club's top-four finish.
His nine goals and five assists in the Premier League are his best performances in professional football and are a testament to how far he has improved under Emery.
Enzo Barenezia, Ross Barkley and Maybe Onana He then joined the midfield revival at Villa Park, with a total investment of around £76m. But as pre-season has clearly demonstrated, finding the right combination to keep the club on its upward trajectory will not be an easy task.
Aggressive Barkley
The Barkley-Barrenechea combination was one of the first experiments attempted by Villa's manager, but was quickly re-evaluated after a 4-1 defeat to eventual 2023 MLS champions Columbus Crew.
Most fans would be forgiven for thinking that this pairing won't feature in the season opener against West Ham.
Despite all his experience, Barkley is not a true all-round central midfielder. His talent lies in the final third rather than supporting the defence.
Ross Barkley in action during pre-season for Aston Villa
Within the double pivot, Villa need a stronger option up front. Pau Torres and Ezri Consa. No player lost more balls to the Hatters than Barkley last season and, with the team's second-worst tackle success rate according to Opta, the former Everton man is unlikely to deliver.
He may be better suited to play as a striker, a role Emery often utilises.
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Will the varenikia be relieved?
The 23-year-old Barenezia has many of the same qualities as Luiz in a midfield role: a forward-thinking, decisive passer who is calm under pressure and comfortable dropping deep. But he will need time to adapt to the Premier League.
His 33 appearances on loan at Frosinone last season were his only regular tests at the top level, but what he lacked in experience he made up for in confidence.
The Argentine talent has impressed during pre-season but has been thrown into the deep end. James Ward-Prowse, Thomas Souchek and Edson Alvarez There could be cracks in the former Juventus ace's play.
As he adjusts to his new country and becomes more integrated into the team, playing on the bench seems like a wiser decision.
Is Onana Tillemann's partner?
Meanwhile, Onana, who has played every game for Belgium at Euro 2024, joined Villa from Everton in a £50m deal this summer and is an intriguing option for the club to consider.
His aggressive and assertive style of play will not only excite fans, but will also provide the team with much-needed height and physicality.
He is not an orthodox holding midfielder, but his ability to break up play, push the team forward and regularly find teammates after possession will help ease the pressure Villa experience throughout the game.
his international teammates Yuri Tielemans He looks set to be paired in midfield going forward, following his impressive performance in the recent 3-2 win over Athletic Bilbao.
Tielemans was compared to Luiz by Emery earlier this year, which could suggest he could play a more prominent role in the team after the striker leaves. “Players like Douglas Luiz and Youri Tielemans are similar,” the Villa boss said. Sky Sports.
Whoever Emery chooses, the club will be struggling with losses like these. boubacar cameraStill sidelined with an ACL injury, he continued: “They need a Kamara type to protect them when they try to build up.”
The French international provides the stability needed for the likes of Luiz and Tielemans to move forward and express themselves in the final third.
However, with no update on his condition since sustaining an injury in February, Villa will be without the former Marseille player to start the season.
The most important thing for Villa is that they have options to consider. Previously, they relied on players like: Irogbunam Team and column chambersWith both players having left the club, Emery has the opportunity to bring in new faces who fit the profile he wants.
There will undoubtedly be some early issues with this new-look Villa midfield, which was one area of the pitch that virtually picked itself up last season.
But with the combined attributes of Onana, Barkley, Tielemans, Barrenechea and the versatile captain John McGinn, Villa will be able to regain their former fluidity and continue to compete with the best teams in English football's top flight.
Watch West Ham v Aston Villa live on Sky Sports Premier League from 5pm on Saturday, kick-off at 5.30pm.
