Unai Emery sanctioned the sales of seven Aston Villa players this summer as he sought to refresh his squad ready for a Champions League season.
Aston Villa had an incredible season in 2023/24 as Unai Emery oversaw a top four finish alongside a run to the Europe Conference League semi-final.
Despite qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in 41 years, the early weeks of the summer were dominated by concerns regarding a potential breach of Premier League spending rules.
This saw Douglas Luiz sold to Juventus, as well as the sales of academy duo Tim Iroegbunam and Omari Kellyman to Everton and Chelsea respectively.
Despite Villa successfully navigating PSR, the club saw fit to accept a £60 million bid for Moussa Diaby just a year after he signed for the club, whilst exits were secured for Cameron Archer, Morgan Sanson and Calum Chambers with the trio not featuring in Emery’s plans.
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With the season underway, let’s take a look at how those who were sold this summer have got on for their new clubs in the early weeks of the campaign.
Douglas Luiz having indifferent start since leaving Aston Villa
Villa fans were understandably disappointed to see Luiz leave this summer having played such a big part in last season’s success.
However, Emery saw the Brazilian as the most replaceable of the high-value assets at the club and the form of £50 million summer signing Amadou Onana has quickly helped Villa fans forget all about Luiz.
- READ MORE: Aston Villa fans react as Amadou Onana competes with Erling Haaland for Premier League award
It has not been the start to life that Luiz would have dreamed off at Juve, with the 26-year-old playing just 55 minutes so far and finding himself left out of the Brazil squad – for whom he became a regular whilst at Villa.
Nicolo Fagioli and Manuel Locatelli have been preferred over Luiz so far under Thiago Motta, with work to be done for Luiz to force himself into the side.
Diaby was the other high-profile departure and the Frenchman has played twice for Al-Ittihad since making the switch to Saudi Arabia aged just 25.
Diaby’s new side have won both games that he’s played so far but he is yet to provide a meaningful contribution with goals and assists alluding the winger so far.
Aston Villa academy departures experiencing differing fortunes
Kellyman and Iroegbunam were both sold prior to the June 30th PSR deadline to help Villa avoid a breach of spending rules given academy players represent pure profit.
Chelsea paid £19 million to sign Kellyman, whilst Iroegbunam went to Everton for £10 million.
Given the huge squad Chelsea have it is no surprise that Kellyman has not been involved at all and the young winger has now picked up an injury.
Iroegbunam, on the other hand, has started all three of Everton’s Premier League games so far his season but has been on the losing side on each occasion.
The 21-year-old midfielder will expect to start again when Everton come to Villa Park on Saturday as he bids to help his new side off the foot of the Premier League table.
Archer is another academy graduate who was sold this summer, with Villa also selling the striker a year ago.
Archer returned to Bodymoor Heath in the summer due to a relegation clause in the deal struck with Sheffield United but has now been sold on again; Southampton the buyers this time.
The 22-year-old enjoyed a decent pre-season at Villa with Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran both away on international duty but is yet to start in the league for the Saints who incidentally have lost all three league games as well as Everton.
However, Archer did score a brace in a 5-3 won over Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup and will be looking to get into the misfiring side sooner rather than later.
Misery continues for Aston Villa flops Morgan Sanson and Calum Chambers
It is fair to say it did not work out as hoped for both Sanson and Chambers at Villa.
Sanson signed in January 2021 and played just 23 games for the club, whilst Chambers joined a year later and made 36 appearances.
After a successful loan spell last season, Nice saw fit to make Sanson’s move permanent this summer to end his Villa nightmare but he suffered an ankle injury that looks set to keep him out for a prolonged period on the eve of the new season.
Chambers has started all four of Cardiff’s games in the Championship since joining but is yet to taste victory, with a 5-0 loss against Burnley particularly disappointing.
The 29-year-old will hope his fortunes improve soon as Cardiff are currently bottom of the Championship.
