The Aston Villa first-team squad for the 2023/24 season boasts 32 players at manager Unai Emery’s disposal. The Premier League club’s squad currently includes three goalkeepers, 12 defenders, 14 midfielders and three forwards – including players away from Villa Park on loan.
Aston Villa goalkeepers
Emiliano Martinez
| Name: | Damian Emiliano Martinez |
| DOB: | 02/09/1992 |
| Joined Aston Villa: | September 2020 |
| Joined From: | Arsenal |
| Kit number: | 23 |
Aston Villa signed Emiliano Martinez for £17 million after the goalkeeper helped Arsenal win the FA Cup in 2020. He has been instrumental at Villa Park and helped Argentina win the World Cup in 2022.
Robin Olsen
| Name: | Robin Patrick Olsen |
| DOB: | 08/01/1990 |
| Joined Aston Villa: | January 2022 |
| Joined From: | AS Roma |
| Kit number: | 25 |
Aston Villa paid Roma £3m in June 2022 to sign Robin Olsen in a permanent move after his initial loan. He has since been a dependable understudy between the sticks at Villa Park.
Joe Gauci
| Name: | Joe Anthony Gauci |
| DOB: | 04/07/2000 |
| Joined Aston Villa: | February 2024 |
| Joined From: | Adelaide United |
| Kit number: | 18 |
Joe Gauci joined Aston Villa from Australian A-League club Adelaide United once he returned from representing his country at the 2024 Asian Cup.
Aston Villa defenders
Matty Cash
| Name: | Matthew Stuart Cash |
| DOB: | 07/08/1997 |
| Position: | Right-back |
| Joined Aston Villa: | September 2020 |
| Joined From: | Nottingham Forest |
| Kit number: | 2 |
Nottingham Forest sold the Reds’ academy product Matty Cash to Aston Villa for £16m. The right-back made 141 appearances for the City Ground club. He has since been a regular in the Premier League for the Villans and became a Poland international in November 2021.
Diego Carlos
| Name: | Diego Carlos Santos Silva |
| DOB: | 15/03/1993 |
| Position: | Centre-half |
| Joined Aston Villa: | June 2022 |
| Joined From: | Sevilla |
| Kit number: | 3 |
Steven Gerrard bolstered his Aston Villa first-team squad with a £26m deal for Diego Carlos in 2022. The Brazilian had helped Sevilla record La Liga’s best defensive record in the prior season. He suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon that scuppered his first season for Villa.
Ezri Konsa
| Name: | Ezri Ngoyo Konsa |
| DOB: | 23/10/1997 |
| Position: | Centre-half |
| Joined Aston Villa: | July 2019 |
| Joined From: | Brentford |
| Kit number: | 4 |
Brentford sold Ezri Konsa to Aston Villa for £12m as Dean Smith moved to improve his squad in Birmingham. The centre-back had only spent one season with the Bees and featured in 47 games. The Charlton Athletic product has since featured more than 150 times for the Villans.
Tyrone Mings
| Name: | Tyrone Deon Mings |
| DOB: | 13/03/1993 |
| Position: | Centre-half |
| Joined Aston Villa: | January 2019 |
| Joined From: | AFC Bournemouth |
| Kit number: | 5 |
Aston Villa paid Bournemouth an initial £20m, rising to £26.5m, to buy Tyrone Mings in July 2019. The centre-half had spent the previous six months on loan from the Cherries. He also became an England international in October 2019 and served as Villa’s captain in the 2021/22 season.
Lucas Digne
| Name: | Lucas Digne |
| DOB: | 20/07/1993 |
| Position: | Left-back |
| Joined Aston Villa: | January 2022 |
| Joined From: | Everton |
| Kit number: | 12 |
Everton sanctioned Lucas Digne’s £25m transfer to Aston Villa to appease Rafa Benitez right before sacking the Spanish coach. He was the Toffees’ player of the year in 2018/19 but did not suit Benitez’s defensive style. Injuries have since restricted his time in claret-and-blue.
Pau Torres
| Name: | Pau Francisco Torres |
| DOB: | 16/01/1997 |
| Position: | Centre-half |
| Joined Aston Villa: | July 2023 |
| Joined From: | Villarreal |
| Kit number: | 14 |
Unai Emery returned to his former team, Villarreal, to add Pau Torres to the Aston Villa first-team squad. The centre-half moved to the Premier League for an initial £33m. He appeared in 105 fixtures under Emery from 2020 to 2022 and won the Europa League title in 2020/21.
Lamare Bogarde
| Name: | Lamare Bogarde |
| DOB: | 05/01/2004 |
| Position: | Centre-half |
| Joined Aston Villa: | September 2020 |
| Joined From: | Feyenoord |
| Kit number: | 26 |
Lamare Bogarde joined the Villans academy from Feyenoord in September 2020. He spent two seasons on loan at Bristol Rovers and is now a part of Villa’s first-team squad.
Ian Maatsen
| Name: | Ian Ethan Maatsen |
| DOB: | 10/03/2002 |
| Position: | Left-back |
| Joined Aston Villa: | June 2024 |
| Joined From: | Chelsea |
| Kit number: | 22 |
Ian Maatsen did not fit into Chelsea’s plans but he proved that he is an excellent player on loan at Borussia Dortmund. He should have a big future at Villa Park.
Kortney Hause
| Name: | Kortney Paul Duncan Hause |
| DOB: | 16/07/1995 |
| Position: | Centre-half |
| Joined Aston Villa: | January 2019 |
| Joined From: | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| Kit number: | 30 |
Kortney Hause switched West Midlands teams when he joined Aston Villa from Wolves. The centre-half initially moved to the Villans on loan before sealing a permanent transfer in June 2019 for £3m. He had a valuable squad presence before joining Watford on loan in 2022/23.
Kosta Nedeljkovic
| Name: | Kosta Nedeljkovic |
| DOB: | 16/12/2005 |
| Position: | Right-back |
| Joined Aston Villa: | January 2024 |
| Joined From: | Red Star Belgrade |
| Kit number: | 20 |
Kosta Nedeljkovic joined the Villans from Red Star Belgrade in January of 2024 but was subsequently loaned back to the Serbian side for the remainder of the season.
Aston Villa midfielders
Amadou Onana
| Name: | Amadou Ba Zeund Georges Mvom Onana |
| DOB: | 16/08/2001 |
| Position: | Central midfielder |
| Joined Aston Villa: | July 2024 |
| Joined From: | Everton |
| Kit number: | 24 |
Aston Villa signed Amadou Onana from Everton to replace Douglas Luiz, who was sold to Juventus. Onana has made a bright start at his new club.
John McGinn
| Name: | John McGinn |
| DOB: | 18/10/1994 |
| Position: | Central midfielder |
| Joined Aston Villa: | August 2018 |
| Joined From: | Hibernian |
| Kit number: | 7 |
Steve Bruce describes getting Aston Villa to pay Hibernian £2m for John McGinn as ‘one of my best ever signings’. The Villans beat Celtic to signing the midfielder, who has gone on to become a pivotal Scotland international. He also became Aston Villa’s captain in July 2022.
Youri Tielemans
| Name: | Youri Marion A Tielemans |
| DOB: | 07/05/1997 |
| Position: | Central midfielder |
| Joined Aston Villa: | June 2023 |
| Joined From: | Leicester City |
| Kit number: | 8 |
Aston Villa took advantage of Youri Tielemans leaving Leicester at the end of his contract to strengthen their first-team squad. The Belgian was the Foxes’ record signing when he joined permanently from Monaco for £35m in 2019. He also helped Leicester win their first FA Cup.
Ross Barkley
| Name: | Ross Barkley |
| DOB: | 05/12/1993 |
| Position: | Central midfielder |
| Joined Aston Villa: | July 2024 |
| Joined From: | Luton Town |
| Kit number: | 6 |
Ross Barkley played for Aston Villa on loan from Chelsea in the 2020/21 season but he was not overly impressive. But, he was excellent at Luton Town in the Premier League last season and earned a second chance at Villa Park.
Emiliano Buendia
| Name: | Emiliano Buendia Stati |
| DOB: | 25/12/1996 |
| Position: | Right winger |
| Joined Aston Villa: | June 2021 |
| Joined From: | Norwich City |
| Kit number: | 10 |
Aston Villa broke their club record to sign Emiliano Buendia from Norwich on the back of the Argentine winning the 2020/21 Championship Player of the Season award. He cost an initial £33m, up to £40m after add-ons. He also left Norfolk as a two-time Championship winner.
Jaden Philogene
| Name: | Jaden Richard Philogene-Bidace |
| DOB: | 08/02/2002 |
| Position: | Right winger |
| Joined Aston Villa: | July 2024 |
| Joined From: | Hull City |
| Kit number: | 19 |
Jadon Philogene came through Villa’s academy but he was sold to Hull City in 2023. A year later, he was resigned by Unai Emery’s side after a brilliant season in the Championship.
Leon Bailey
| Name: | Leon Patrick Bailey |
| DOB: | 09/08/1997 |
| Position: | Left winger |
| Joined Aston Villa: | August 2021 |
| Joined From: | Bayer Leverkusen |
| Kit number: | 31 |
Aston Villa paid Bayer Leverkusen £30m to sign Leon Bailey in 2021 as the Birmingham outfit bid to replace Jack Grealish. The Jamaican speedster had registered 39 goals and 26 assists in 156 games whilst in Germany. But an array of injuries plagued his maiden term in England.
Jacob Ramsey
| Name: | Jacob Matthew Ramsey |
| DOB: | 28/05/2001 |
| Position: | Central midfielder |
| Joined Aston Villa: | January 2019 |
| Joined From: | Academy |
| Kit number: | 41 |
Jacob Ramsey joined Aston Villa at the age of six and worked his way up to becoming a vital part of their first-team squad. The midfielder made his senior debut under Dean Smith back in February 2019. He would record his 100th appearance come May 2023 away to Liverpool.
Boubacar Kamara
| Name: | Boubacar Bernard Kamara |
| DOB: | 23/11/1999 |
| Position: | Defensive midfielder |
| Joined Aston Villa: | May 2022 |
| Joined From: | Olympique Marseille |
| Kit number: | 44 |
Aston Villa took advantage of Boubacar Kamara leaving Marseille at the end of his contract to sign one of France’s most promising players. The OM product had proven himself to be a true talent in defence and in midfield. He immediately settled in at Villa before a knee injury.
Aston Villa forwards
Ollie Watkins
| Name: | Oliver George Arthur Watkins |
| DOB: | 30/12/1995 |
| Position: | Centre-forward |
| Joined Aston Villa: | September 2020 |
| Joined From: | Brentford |
| Kit number: | 11 |
Dean Smith returned to his former team, Brentford, to add Ollie Watkins to Aston Villa’s first-team squad in a club-record transfer. The striker left the Bees for an initial £28m, rising up to £33m, after 49 goals. He would be Villa’s top scorer in the 2020/21, 21/22, 22/23 and 23/24 seasons.
Jhon Duran
| Name: | Jhon Jader Duran Palacio |
| DOB: | 13/12/2003 |
| Position: | Centre-forward |
| Joined Aston Villa: | January 2023 |
| Joined From: | Chicago Fire |
| Kit number: | 9 |
Aston Villa backed Unai Emery’s bid to improve their first-team squad with an £18m transfer for Jhon Duran in 2023. The Colombian talent left MLS outfit Chicago Fire aged 19 having scored eight goals in 28 games.
Morgan Rogers
| Name: | Morgan Rogers |
| DOB: | 26/07/2002 |
| Position: | Left-Winger |
| Joined Aston Villa: | January 2024 |
| Joined From: | Middlesbborough |
| Kit number: | 27 |
Aston Villa agreed a £15m deal to sign Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough in January. The highly-rated youngster was a product of West Brom’s academy. Finn Azaz went the other way.
