Aston Villa transfer news as one attacker must be signed this summer – Ty Bracey
We’re delighted to welcome Aston Villa podcaster Ty Bracey as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Ty Bracey believes Aston Villa should sign at least one wide attacker in the summer transfer window amid the poor form of current wingers Leon Bailey and Bertrand Traore.
Unai Emery’s preferred 4-4-2 formation leaves space for one wide attacker in the starting line-up, but playmaker Emi Buendia has recently been fielded in this role ahead of natural wingers Bailey and Traore.
Bailey, 25, has been a mercurial presence ever since signing at Villa Park in 2021, scoring five Premier League goals from 45 Premier League appearances, but often going missing when his team needs him most.
Aston Villa recalled former Chelsea youth product Traore from his loan spell at Istanbul Basaksehir in January due to the lack of other alternatives at the club, but he has amassed a mere 51 minutes of Premier League action since then.
The struggles of the Villa duo have resulted in the attacking burden at Villa Park being heavily placed on the shoulders of Ollie Watkins and Buendia, with few other options available to Emery apart from 19-year-old Jhon Duran.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Aston Villa podcaster Bracey admitted that Villa should have at least one attacker on their summer shopping list as well as some more midfield cover for the likes of Boubacar Kamara.
He said: “It’s a really tough one, really. We definitely need some more options up front, we have to reinforce up the top.
“A striker, a winger, take your pick. Bertrand Traore and Leon Bailey just aren’t cutting it right now, so I think it is important that should Bailey continue how he is, I don’t think he will stay, I think he will leave.
And if either of them or even both of them leave, we will need to bring in at least one replacement in wide areas this summer, depending on what happens with Archer as well.
“But up front we definitely need more depth and possibly some more options in the midfield as well because you could see the lack of options Emery had when Kamara was injured recently.”
After spending just over £30million in the January transfer window and watching several other Premier League rivals spend over double this amount, Emery is expected to go big in the summer transfer window and be sanctioned a healthy war chest for such business. [Birmingham Mail, 11 March]
The likes of Roma striker Tammy Abraham [iNews, 2 March] and Sporting Lisbon attacker Pedro Goncalves [Record, 20 March] have already been reported with potential moves to Villa Park this summer, but both would likely cost in excess of £50million.
In other Aston Villa news, Dan Bardell believes a loanee could consider a Villa Park exit this summer if he isn’t given first-team assurances next season.