Image source, Getty ImagesPremier League clubs have agreed the dates for the summer transfer window.
The window will open early, between Sunday 1 June and Tuesday 10 June, due to an exceptional registration period relating to the Fifa Club World Cup.
It will then reopen on Monday 16 June and close on Monday 1 September.
Aston Villa have begun talks with midfielder Boubacar Kamara over a new contract. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesFollowing on from fan writer David Michael's post (14:30 GMT on Monday), we asked for your views on Amadou Onana and whether he needs to offer more over the rest of the season, or if there are other players who need to step up.
Here are some of your comments:
Paul: I like Onana but he needs to be fit and ready to help us out at the business end of the season. We do need him to step up and contribute as otherwise we risk running out of steam again when it matters most.
Prit: Agreed. The jury is still out on Onana, especially with the level of affection Villa fans had for Douglas Luiz. In fairness to him, though, he has been dogged by injuries. If fit, he will make a significant contribution.
Keith: Onana was a gamble. Everton sold him not because he is not a quality player but because they could not keep him fit. Now Villa are having the same problems so he needs to show his real worth at the business end of the season and help to push Villa to secure a Champions League place.
Mike: Agree totally with David. Onana has delivered far less than Moussa Diaby, who was offloaded. He is surprisingly easily shrugged off the ball - as he was at Everton. Value for money? Not in my opinion.
Conor: Onana has to step up. He has seemed to spend more time on the ground than on his feet while playing. Another player who has looked out of sorts all season is Ian Maatsen. Of course, this is partly because of the form of Lucas Digne, but when Maatsen has had his chance he has not looked close to the left-back who made the Champions League team of the season. It's great to have these players able to come off the bench, but is Maatsen's form down to him not having an extended run in the team? That argument won't matter to fans at this point of the season, though, with every game in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup meaning more and more.
Paul: Judge any signings over several seasons, not just a small number of games. Onana should not be singled out after an injury-hit campaign.
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa's Morgan Rogers says making his first senior England start in Monday's 3-0 World Cup qualifier win over Latvia was "a dream come true".
The 22-year-old played all 90 minutes at Wembley in Thomas Tuchel's second game in charge of the Three Lions after coming off the bench in Friday's victory over Albania.
"It's a dream come true - a moment to remember, for sure," Rogers told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"We knew it would be difficult and that they would defend well in a low block. Our quality showed. I'm delighted.
"That's what you want to do when you play football. You don't want to sit on the bench. Thankfully I got my chance and hopefully I can get many more in the future.
"I'm a bit disappointed I didn't score. I'm not always going to get it right but if I do the right things then good things will come from that."
Rogers is enjoying a fine season at club level, registering 12 goals and seven assists.
"Everything is going well right now. We just need to take it game by game and see how we go," he added when asked about Villa.
Did you know?
Three Aston Villa players (Ezri Konsa, Marcus Rashford and Rogers) started an England game together for the first time since February 2009 (Gabriel Agbonlahor, Gareth Barry and Emile Heskey) in a 2-0 friendly defeat by Spain.
David Michael
Fan writer
Image source, Getty ImagesThere is a train of thought from some supporters to justify ever-increasing ticket prices: if fans want big-name signings, they should expect to pay more for tickets.
The argument overlooks the fact that any increase in ticket prices only makes a minor contribution to the club's revenue compared with sponsorships and Premier League and Champions League broadcasting deals.
Also, in terms of Aston Villa, Amadou Onana certainly questions such simplistic logic.
Last summer, Onana arrived from Everton as Villa's marquee signing, with a price tag of £50m. The plan was clear: at 6ft 5in, he would boost the physical profile of the team, bolster the side's spine and form a formidable defensive midfield partnership with Boubacar Kamara in the Champions League, allowing Villa to potentially stifle the competition's elite.
Yet, as we approach the business end of the season, that vision feels more theory than reality.
Onana has started just 14 of 29 Premier League games and three of 10 Champions League games.
After a promising start, injuries have significantly limited his influence. When he has played, he has often looked surprisingly lightweight for someone of his stature - erratic in the tackle and too easily bypassed.
He is now back from injury but will be shy of game time going into Villa's upcoming two-legged tussle with Paris St-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals.
So far, his most memorable contributions have been his post-match, animated crowd celebrations and light-hearted, wannabe fashionista social media commentary.
But charisma alone does not win trophies or represent a good investment of supporters' money.
Villa are not here to make up the numbers. Unai Emery is serious about competing on the biggest stages and the club's big-money signings certainly need to deliver.
If Onana does not help Villa meet their goals in the closing stages of this season, then the club will have some serious questions to answer - not least to fans being asked to pay more under the guise of ambition.
Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external
Aston Villa's 32-year-old England centre-back Tyrone Mings is to join the Euro 2028 board of directors to help with the organising of the tournament. (Telegraph - subscription required, external)
Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column
Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesOn Wednesday, we spoke to BBC Radio WM's Mike Taylor for a special Q&A on this page before the final months of the season.
On Ollie Watkins, he ruled the striker has been "not as productive as last season but still pretty good".
But what story do his stats tell?
Watkins has 13 goals and six assists after 29 games in the Premier League so far this season, compared to 19 goals and 13 assists at the end of 2023-24.
In that, his minutes per goal has improved slightly from 170 to 159 while he is averaging a goal contribution every 109 minutes this season, slightly down on 101 last campaign.
However - as pointed out by Taylor - "nobody wishes more than Watkins himself that he had taken a few more chances".
Watkins outperformed his expected goals xG by 2.2 last season while he has underperformed by 0.9 so far this.
Meanwhile, Opta define 'big chances' as a situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score and they give examples such as being one on one with the goalkeeper or taking a shot from very close range with a clear path to goal.
This season, Watkins has missed 23 of these big chances, already one more than the 22 across the whole of their charge to the top four last season.
On top of that, his conversion rate is down from 22.1% to 20%.
Image source, Getty ImagesWhy has Watkins' finishing regressed slightly?
As also referenced in the Q&A, during the first half of the season, Watkins was often playing the first hour of games, helping to tire defences out before being replaced by Jhon Duran who enjoyed cleaning up.
Since Duran left in January, Unai Emery has had to likely tailor his approach more specifically around Watkins, who scored 10 in 23 before Duran's exit and has three in six since.
We cannot forget Watkins was also subject to transfer speculation in late January with Villa rejecting an approach from Arsenal. That added another distraction to what has been a significantly more mixed campaign to the fourth-placed finish in 2023-24.
There is also the possibility of a Euros hangover. Watkins - scorer of England's semi-final winning goal, external and a substitute in the final - returned late to Villa's pre-season training camp yet started their opening six Premier League fixtures. He did not score in the opening three, immediately putting him on the back foot when it comes to goalscoring statistics.
Despite missing England's first camp of the season in September with muscle fatigue, and the most recent camp with a knee problem, Watkins has featured in every single one of Villa's Premier League and Champions League games so far this season, plus two from three in the FA Cup.
This follows a 2023-24 campaign where he started all but one league game, eight times in the Conference League and another two in the FA Cup before heading to Germany for the Euros.
It is a lot of football and for a team playing more games than previously.
To maintain the level of output he has while playing so many games and managing his body through little niggles is impressive in itself, especially with the added scrutiny that comes with playing in the Champions League.
To have a couple of weeks of rest and recovery over the international break is likely a blessing in disguise before the climax to what could still be a very special Villa season.
*All stats provided by Opta
Image source, Getty ImagesEarlier, we asked which player has appeared in the most Premier League wins for Aston Villa.
The answer is Gareth Barry, who was involved in 130 victories.
With the Premier League top two fairly set in stone and the relegation places all but decided, we asked former England midfielder Fara Williams to pick her final table from third down to 10th.
Nottingham Forest will hang on to third based on what they have built this season in terms of being defensively hard to break down and playing in transitions very well. They are finding ways to win games by playing to their strengths.
I do not think Chelsea are good enough to secure fourth. I have put Manchester City there because they have enough firepower and always seem to finish Premier League seasons really well. They have not been in good form but they have that know-how and still a bit of a fear factor against some of the teams they play.
I have Chelsea in fifth because if Cole Palmer can refind his form they will have a good run of games. Newcastle in sixth - where they currently sit - as I think they will continue on the same trajectory with their run of fixtures.
The rest is really difficult. I have put Bournemouth seventh as their pressing and high-intensity play will see them pick up form again and rise a few places.
I have Aston Villa eighth as their focus will be on the Champions League, then Brighton ninth and Fulham 10th as I do not think their form will improve significantly. They are still impressive finishes.
Having said this, it has never been so close in this area of the table from what I can remember. These teams are likely to finish within one win of each other so much can change on one result.
Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward
Aston Villa have the option to make their loan deal for Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford, 27, permanent this summer for £40m. (Teamtalk), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Which player has appeared in the most Premier League wins for Aston Villa?
Come back to this page on Friday afternoon for the answer
Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesOver the course of Wednesday, we're putting your questions to BBC Radio WM's Mike Taylor and he has given his usual weighty analysis.
Vinny asked: I've heard that Villa may have some more PSR issues in the future as the wage bill is huge in comparison to income. Do you know if this is true? If it is true, does the club have a plan for addressing it?
Mike said: I think you can be sure that they have a plan, Vinny. We saw last year – in fact Villa described it after the event with plenty of dramatic detail – that they had a plan to duck under the PSR limbo-bar, and achieved it. We know they've stayed within the rules again so far, but they clearly have a big wage bill relative to their income – the highest proportion of the top 20 clubs on the Deloitte "Money League" on their most recent figures issued in January.
They were only on that list at all because of a significant increase in revenue, and by reaching and prospering in the Champions League – as well as drawing in a hefty profit on Jhon Duran – they are likely to move up that table next time. Their wage bill will be higher too, but a big increase in income should ease the pressure.
Only for one season, though – which is why qualifying for Europe, regularly, is so important for Villa. As you note in your question, the issue is not the absolute size of the wage bill, but its relationship to their income, which must seriously complicate forward-planning.
At this point Villa could conceivably reach any of the three European competitions next season, or none of them. After last summer, I'd be confident that Villa have a plan to stay out of trouble whichever situation arises, but I'm sure Plan A is a lot easier than Plan D.
Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights
Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesOver the course of Wednesday, we have been putting your questions to BBC Radio WM's Mike Taylor. In this part, we look at what Aston Villa might do in the summer to strengthen their hand for a tilt on all fronts next season.
Jimmy asked: What does Villa's summer look like if they don't qualify for the Champions League. Is it simply quiet or will it involve selling a first-team player or two?
Mike said: I would imagine that there might be some churn in the squad whatever happens, but the nature of it might change.
The published figures take months to come out, but internally Villa will know where they stand in each case, and assess whether they need to sell a player as they did with Douglas Luiz last year.
But that is always likely to be a moving picture. It is entirely possible that an offer arrives for a player you have no intention of selling but, combined with other moves, can become good business.
My guess is that it might actually be a quieter summer if they do qualify for the Champions League than if they do not, because there will be less pressure to sell, and players might be less eager to leave.
The prospects of making the loan players permanent might hold the key in that instance.
Steve asked: In what positions do you think Villa need to recruit for in the summer?
Mike answered: If money were no object, then I think ideally a direct deputy, or rival, for Ollie Watkins might again seem to be the most useful gap to fill.
However, Unai Emery's preferred system – and the clever signings of versatile players – make Villa less exposed in this area than it felt for most of last season, when Jhon Duran was unproven and you worried every time Watkins winced.
Had the late loan signings not been made before the window closed, this would have felt like a bigger immediate problem, so this assessment depends a lot on whether they stay. At this particular moment, though, Villa look stronger than they have at any stage this season, with only Ross Barkley injured.
Come back later for our final part where Mike dives into the ever-thorny issue of PSR...
Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesOver the course of Wednesday, we're putting your questions to BBC Radio WM's Mike Taylor.
In part three, he looks at the form of Ollie Watkins and gives his verdict on who might be next to break through at Villa Park.
Arthur asked: How do you rate Ollie Watkins' season? He remains a threat and has been creative (although less than last year). His finishing has been really poor though. If he had a better conversion rate, would we would be challenging the top of the table?
Mike said: Not as productive as last season, clearly, but still pretty good.
I'm sure nobody wishes more than Watkins himself that he had taken a few more chances, but you will have heard as often as I have when managers say the most important thing is that he was in position for the chance in the first place.
In the first half of the season, I thought the best way to assess Watkins and Jhon Duran was to think of them as adding up to one player, as they were so rarely on the field together.
Watkins ran defenders ragged for an hour, and then a fresh Duran came on to take advantage. In the days of five substitutes, this was a good method for so long as both players were content with the arrangement.
When Duran started, Villa's whole structure – a favourite Emery word – never seemed quite as productive. There are more statistics in football than ever, but I'm not sure they entirely do justice to Watkins' overall productivity.
Read below to hear about Aston Villa youngsters...
Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesPrit asked: Looking ahead to next season, who do you consider from our youth team and players on loan could breakthrough next season at Villa Park?
Mike said: The best-qualified at the moment would seem to be Enzo Barrenechea, one of the players Villa signed in the flurry of mid-summer transfers last year.
He is coming to the end of a second season in a major European league, and no doubt it has been a character-building one fighting to keep Valencia in the top tier in Spain.
On the other hand, midfield is quite a competitive area of the Villa squad. Potentially he could be at least an understudy for Boubacar Kamara, but it would be a challenge to get ahead of him.
Samuel Iling-Junior scored a Champions League goal for Bologna but did not feature much for them in the league. At least now, he is getting more playing time at Middlesbrough. It would be a big jump from there to become a first-team regular for Villa, but Morgan Rogers managed it.
If players on loan are not likely to make an immediate impact next season, though – and breaking into such a strong first-team squad is difficult, unless a big sale produces a vacancy – you could imagine Villa selling a few to create a little more room in the budget.
Kaine Kesler-Hayden is an interesting case – he is having a productive season with Preston, and at 22 has more than two years of regular Championship football behind him. But with Andres Garcia recently arrived in his position, is there still a route through for him at Villa?
Of the next wave, Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba's progress this season is worth noting.
Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights
Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesOver the course of Wednesday, we're putting your questions to BBC Radio WM's Mike Taylor.
In this second part, he is looking at the future of Aston Villa's January loanees, who have made a big impact at Villa Park.
Steve asked: Some rumours that Manchester United are going to raise the price for Marcus Rashford. My understanding was that a fixed option to buy of £40 million had been agreed as part of the loan deal. Is that not right?
Mike said: That was my understanding too, Steve, although the exact terms of the option have not been publicly revealed. Whether there is any negotiating room there will become clear.
But let's imagine for a moment that there is, and United increase their demand to a level beyond what Villa, or anyone else, think reasonable. That would leave them with a player who – we are told – has no desire to be there, and will cost them wages reported to be at least £15m a year when – we are told – United need to make urgent savings.
That is before we think about whether the form of his first few weeks at Villa will continue to the end of the season.
On the evidence of what we have seen so far, a full transfer could be a great move for all parties. But it will be a big commitment for Villa, so I doubt they will rush to judgement.
Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesMatt asked: They always say "never fall in love with a loan player". And here we are with three playing their way into our hearts. Can you see any of them signing for Villa in the summer?
Mike said: But we all do, don't we, Matt? Yes, I could see any one of them staying.
They all look like they are having as good a time playing as you are watching them, and a better time than they were having at their respective clubs in the first half of the season.
If you have joined a club that feels like it is going places, and a manager with a proven record of winning things, I think most players would like to see if they can stay on that train.
Whether they could all stay though is a different question, and potentially a very expensive one - at least in terms of wages if not transfer fees.
I would be surprised if none of them stayed, but I would also be surprised if all three did. The bigger the European competition Villa qualify for, the better.
Come back later on Wednesday to hear Mike discuss Ollie Watkins...
Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights
Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesOver the course of Wednesday, we're putting your questions to BBC Radio WM's Mike Taylor and he has given his usual weighty analysis.
In the first part, he takes a look at what Unai Emery's priority should be for the final months of the season - Champions League or FA Cup?
Rob asked: As a Villa fan I'm interested what would financially carry a better reward for the club. Winning the FA Cup or reaching the Champions League semi-final?
Mike said: You will probably have seen, Rob, estimates of how much Villa have banked from the Champions League this season – probably north of £75 million already.
No doubt there will be another packed house for Paris St-Germain in the quarters to add in and the further they get, the more valuable the exposure becomes. Let's suppose a semi-final could take that total to £100m.
In the short-term, that marginal gain would outrank the FA Cup in terms of finances, but winning that, would open up the Europa League for next season, in which you would expect Villa to be a serious contender.
Although much less lucrative than the Champions League, if Villa reached the later rounds, it would surely make up the difference and some more.
Villa's long-term plans really depend on regular European football, so an FA Cup win would be important beyond just the historical prestige of winning it again at last.
And yet I'm not sure Unai Emery is thinking in terms of prioritising one over the other, though. He talks like a man aiming for everything.
Come back later for part two where Mike will be looking into Villa's options for loan players...
Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights
Head coach Unai Emery is pushing for Aston Villa to sign Spain forward Marco Asensio, 29, on a permanent basis following his loan switch from Paris St-Germain. (GiveMeSport), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Manchester United have raised their asking price for 27-year-old striker Marcus Rashford, whose form on loan at Aston Villa has earned him an England recall. (Football Insider), external
Aston Villa might sell 23-year-old Argentine midfielder Enzo Barrenechea to Valencia in the summer, following a successful loan spell with the Spanish club. (Athletic - subscription required), external
Image source, Getty ImagesInto the business end of the season and Aston Villa still have plenty of play for.
We're putting our Villa expert on the spot for any questions you've got about whatever subject you choose - from transfers to tactics or injuries or anything in between?
BBC Radio WM's Mike Taylor will answer a selection later this week.
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views on the recent England squad announcement, which saw Marcus Rashford return but did not include Villa striker Ollie Watkins.
Here are some of your comments:
Solo: Watkins displays incredible industry week in week out, which can compensate for him not being a natural finisher. His stats for chances missed would seem to support this claim. I often wonder if there is another way to play him to maximise his returns at Villa but England want a goal machine like Harry Kane, who is bang in form.
David: Watkins has been his usual understated self this year so will go under the radar. He also has a knock so I'm not surprised he's not in the England squad. I'd much rather he has a good rest to get ready for the rest of the season.
Prit: Surprised that Watkins didn't make the squad. Even though his numbers are not as good as last season, he's more than worth a call-up. No surprise that Rashford is in the squad as he has been outstanding since his move to Villa. Before United fans start crowing that he hasn't scored, they need to look at his assists, speed on transition and his significant contribution to Aston Villa reaching the last eight of the Champions League and FA Cup.
Steve: Was really hoping for a fresh approach. Dan Burn, Jordan Henderson, Kyle Walker, Reece James and Jarell Quansah should be nowhere near this squad. No Watkins is criminal. Same old same old. What's the definition of madness?
Dylan: I think that Watkins should have joined the squad. He is doing all right in the Premier League, whereas Gordon has had a shocking season in my opinion.
Marcus Rashford could play his first international in a year after being included in Thomas Tuchel's first England squad.
Having been out of favour at Manchester United and at the end of Gareth Southgate's Three Lions tenure, does the forward on loan at Aston Villa actually merit a starting berth against either Albania or Latvia?
Former Premier League midfielder Michael Brown tells The Football News Show why Rashford deserves his recall.
Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer
