Aston Villa transfer window rated: Four new signings as Unai Emery raises eyebrows
Aston Villa have now seen the January transfer window slam shut at Villa Park.
Villa lost 1-0 to Brentford in their last outing before moving into what promised to be a quiet deadline day in B6.
That is exactly what transpired as Unai Emery was happy with the business that the Villans had already completed in the weeks prior.
There have been plenty of in’s and out’s in the Midlands, and there is general positivity from supporters surrounding the business that has been done.
Now, Villa News assesses all the deals that have been done with one particular call, raising questions for the claret and blue faithful.
Aston Villa complete four January signings
The Villans were in need of reinforcements this winter as they looked to maintain their charge towards the top of the Premier League.
Villa losing 1-0 to Everton and Brentford in consecutive home games hasn’t helped those dreams, but the transfer window has.
The early business wasn’t too much to write home about, with the additions of future talents Alysson and Brian Madjo certainly bringing excitement to B6.
It is unclear, even now, what sort of first-team impact this pair will have, but neither have made an appearance in claret and blue to this point.
The same can’t be said of Tammy Abraham, who has come in from Besiktas and has already made his second debut at Villa Park.
That has been echoed by Douglas Luiz, joining on the same week, and he also made his B6 comeback in the defeat to Brentford.
Those deals rounded out Villa’s business for the window, but how can each signing be rated at this stage of the campaign?
Alysson – C
It is hard to truly rate the Brazilian youngster right now, so a C feels fair.
I’m looking forward to seeing him in the Premier League and to seeing what sort of player Emery has got on his hands.
There have been positive reviews emerging from his homeland, although there are suggestions that he may not be ready for the step up in B6.
Injury has damaged his Villa spell since signing from Gremio, but there is hope that he can soon come in and make an impact. For now, his signing gets a C.
Brian Madjo – C
It is a similar story to Alysson for Madjo, who is also seen as an unknown quantity and so gets a C ranking from me.
The England youth international has the physical attributes and skillset that could see him thrive at Villa Park, but that feels likely to be further down the line.
He is yet to feature in a first-team matchday squad, although fans do want to see what he can offer if he is given a chance by Emery and Co.
It will certainly be interesting to see what the future will bring for Madjo, but as the deal currently stands, it gets a C.
Tammy Abraham – B
It has to be said that Abraham’s signing alone looks positive on paper, but as a straight replacement for Donyell Malen it is a bit odd.
Emery and Co. raised eyebrows by selling the Dutchman to Roma, with the reasons not solely for PSR but also due to a tactical ideology of playing with more of a traditional number nine.
That is exactly what Abraham will provide and did so against Brentford with his controversially disallowed strike.
He looked good back in claret and blue, and it will be interesting to see how his second spell in B6 works out.
Abraham gets a B ranking from me, but could easily prove to be an A if he is to hit the heights of Malen from the first half of the season.
Douglas Luiz – A
Luiz struggled at Nottingham Forest and Juventus, but looked to be right back at home on his return against Brentford.
The Brazilian has joined on loan with an option to buy, so he represents a no-risk signing and already appears to be a very useful addition.
He is a fan favourite and knows Emery’s system like the back of his hand, so getting him in during a midfield injury crisis makes total sense.
There are few concerns surrounding his signing, and there is no real reason for me not to give Luiz’s signing an A ranking for his loan switch.
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