Alan Hutton: Aston Villa could look to sign another midfielder in January
We’re delighted to welcome former Aston Villa full-back Alan Hutton as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Villa Park.
Alan Hutton has suggested Aston Villa could look to add another midfielder to their ranks in the upcoming January transfer window.
Villa currently have seven midfielders but injuries and poor form has left Unai Emery looking a little bit light in the middle of the park.
Hutton believes the Spaniard will be assessing his current options and which formation he wants to deploy before making any decisions on transfers.
“It’s another difficult one, I think there’s a squad there that’s very talented,” Hutton exclusively told Villa News.
“Over the coming weeks, especially with the break, he will want to really analyse it and see exactly what he’s got. We’ve seen John McGinn not start against Manchester United. How is he going to play, how is he going to lineup?
“I know it was a 4-4-2, or a 4-2-2-2 however you want to look at it, so is that how he will want to play going forward? He will have to understand what he has in the squad first before he realises what he needs through the door.
“There’s a lot of talented players there, has he got enough to see the season out or does he need reinforcements? The midfield is obviously an area he could look to bring somebody in and maybe an out-and-out striker.
“They’ve got the likes of Deigo Carlos to come back, obviously not his season, but there’s a player to come back from injury. He will feel they’re in a good situation, but he will want one or two more players in for sure.”
It’s an ideal time for Emery to take control at Villa Park, with the 50-year-old able to get to work with his players on the training pitch without the immediate stresses of a match day.
Villa face Manchester United again on Thursday (10 November) before a trip to Brighton brings their Premier League season to a halt ahead of the mid-season break.
In other Aston Villa news, Neil Cutler gushes over Unai Emery tactics v Manchester United