Emery situation to blow up – Three Villa predictions for the 2025/26 season
Aston Villa are preparing to bounce back after a disappointing end to last season’s Premier League campaign.
Needing just a point to finish in the top five and achieve Champions League football, the Villans were defeated by Manchester United on the final day, cementing them just outside.
Unai Emery will hope to right that wrong next season, but signs of ambitious transfer business at Villa Park have been almost non-existent.
Here, Villa News makes three predictions for the 2025/26 season.
Rogers to continue to shine bright
Morgan Rogers was among the Premier League’s most impressive young players last season.
The midfielder scored eight goals and registered 11 assists in the league, adding to that total in all competitions for Villa.
The 23-year-old has already proved his ability, but fans should expect the England international to only get better next season, as more responsibility is placed on his young shoulders.
Rogers is already, arguably, Villa’s main man, and the youngster will be needed more than ever as his team cope with decreasing options.
Buendia to emerge as hero in attacking crisis
There was huge excitement around Emi Buendia when Villa fought off interest from Arsenal to sign the winger from Norwich for a club-record £33million in 2021.
The 28-year-old had just registered a stunning 31 direct goal contributions in just 39 Championship games, and was set to be the star of a new-look Villa in the wake of Jack Grealish’s departure.
But after two disappointing seasons and an ACL injury which kept him out of the 2023/24 season, Buendia became an outcast under Emery, and was loaned to Bayer Leverkusen for the second half of last season.
| Emi Buendia | Bundesliga (2024/25) |
| Appearances | 11 |
| Goals | 2 |
Now, with Villa lacking options in attack, the Argentine may finally have a chance to kick start his Premier League career.
The quality is undoubtedly still there, and if Buendia could find some consistent form, he could well emerge as a surprisingly strong option for Emery.
Emery to become frustrated
Emery knows his quality, and he will not be afraid to speak his mind.
The Spaniard fell out with decision-makers at Arsenal, reportedly butting heads on transfer policy and grappling with the unstable situation following the departure of Arsene Wenger.
Emery carries significantly more faith at Villa Park, following the huge success his appointment has brought Aston Villa.
But with the season’s opener less than three weeks away and just one new arrival through the doors so far this summer, another fall-out cannot be ruled out if the going gets tough.
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