Aston Villa have come a long way in a short space of time thanks mainly to the efforts of Unai Emery and the ambition shown by the board.
Unai Emery only took over as Aston Villa manager in late 2022 but has taken the club from the threat of relegation to the Champions League in less than two years.
That progression has seen the club able to shop in very different markets, with the £50 million signing of Amadou Onana this summer testament to that fact.
The £100 million sale of Villa academy graduate Jack Grealish to Manchester City in 2021 has also gone a long way to help the club build a very solid side, with Dean Smith the manager at the time of the England man’s departure.
However, it was the manager that preceded Smith that has now linked up with a player offered as part of a swap deal for Grealish in 2023 in an unlikely reunion at Blackpool.
Former Aston Villa loanee Josh Onomah on trial with Steve Bruce’s Blackpool
Josh Onomah spent the 2017/18 season on loan at Villa from Tottenham Hotspur, with the midfielder considered one of the brightest talents coming through at Spurs at the time.
Steve Bruce was in charge at Villa Park then, as Onomah scored four goals and provided three assists in 33 Championship games as a 20-year-old.
Bruce had been out of work since leaving West Brom in 2022 but was appointed as the surprise replacement for Neil Critchley at Blackpool last week and has now reunited with Onomah who is currently on trial at the Seasiders.
Now 27, Onomah has been without a club since leaving Preston in summer 2023 so will be keen to impress his former boss six years on and earn a deal to revive his career.
Onomah offered to Aston Villa in 2018 Tottenham offer for Jack Grealish
Villa were keen to sign Onomah following his loan spell and Tottenham looked to capitalise on this interest by submitting an incredibly frugal offer to sign rising star Grealish.
Spurs offered £3 million plus Onomah for then-20-year-old Grealish, who had just scored three and assisted five alongside the Spurs man in the second tier.
Villa rejected the deal and must count their blessings that they did as Grealish carried the club to promotion the following season before being instrumental to keeping the club in the Premier League for their first two seasons after returning.
Three years after the offer of £3 million plus Onomah was rejected Villa accepted Manchester City’s £100 million bid which was then the record fee paid for an English player.
That has since been overtaken by Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, but things could have been very different for Villa, Grealish and Onomah had the Villans accepted that 2018 deal.
