Aston Villa’s 2023/24 season was hugely successful for manager Unai Emery and his squad. The Villans returned to the pinnacle of European football thanks to their final league position, which has shown incredible growth since he took charge. Under former boss Steven Gerrard, Villa were relegation candidates, but have since been transformed.
The Spaniard took his side to a fourth-place finish, securing them Champions League football in the 2024/25 season. They ended the campaign on 68 points, just two ahead of Tottenham Hotspur, their nearest challengers in fifth place. The crucial game was Spurs’ penultimate outing against Manchester City, which they lost 2-0. Had that result been a Lilywhites’ win, Villa would have finished fifth.
The Villans also overachieved when it comes to expected points. According to Understat, their 55xPTS would have seen them finish seventh if that had been a reality. However, it shows the superb job Emery did for his side, and it has given him something to build from next season.
Villa will no doubt need to dip into the transfer market this summer, to strengthen their squad ahead of a huge campaign in 2024/25. They have already been linked with one player who could add excellent depth to their squad.
Villa target Championship defender
The player in question here is Sunderland’s versatile defender Trai Hume. After another frustrating season without promotion for the Black Cats, many of their stars could be on the way out of the club this summer, with Hume one of the first to depart.
At least, that is according to a story from Football Insider. It is explained that Villa are “keeping close tabs” on the player’s situation this summer after he impressed the club’s scouts last season.
However, Emery’s side will not be the only Premier League side plotting a move for Hume’s signature this summer. South Coast side Bournemouth are also thought to be interested in the player and will rival Villa for the signing over the summer transfer window, as they look to bolster their squad in defence
The report suggests a fee in the region of £8m would be enough to tempt Sunderland into a sale. This would represent excellent profit for the North Eastern outfit, after they paid just £150k to sign the Northern Irishman from Linfield, a club in his home country, in January 2022.
Villa could repeat EFL masterclass
Should Hume join the club over the summer, Villa would be adding one of the most versatile defenders in the Championship to their squad.
Last season, he started 46 times in the Championship and FA Cup, playing across four different positions; right-back, left-back, centre-back and right midfield.
Right-back
30
Left-back
11
Right midfield
3
Centre-back
2
Having that kind of versatility in their squad could be key for Villa, as they get set to navigate the difficult waters of eight Champions League group games next season. Knowing Hume can fill in anywhere in the back four could be ideal for Emery.
Should they get a deal for Hume over the line, it would see Villa once again replicate their EFL transfer masterclass. Over the past few seasons, they have had great success in signing players from the Football League, with some going on to play international football after their move.
Perhaps the most notable of those players is England striker Ollie Watkins. He joined the club from Brentford in 2020 for £28m, which was a deal that could get as expensive as £33m. It is fair to say Watkins has been a successful addition so far.
He has scored 70 goals and registered 26 assists in 169 games for the Villans so far, including a phenomenal campaign last season. In the Premier League, Watkins bagged 19 goals in 37 games, as well as winning the playmaker award by notching up 13 assists.
The striker is not the only EFL-based signing Villa have made in recent years who has proven to be a success. Matty Cash joined from Nottingham Forest just weeks before the 28-year-old moved to Villa Park, and young Morgan Rogers switched to Villa from Middlesbrough last January.
Villa’s desire to sign another smart signing from the second-tier could work in their favour once again. Hume’s versatility has already been noted, but former Sunderland interim manager Mike Dodds explained last season that he has a “big future” in the game.
Further hailed as an "outstanding" full-back by journalist Josh Bunting, It could certainly be yet another masterstroke of a signing from the EFL for Villa this summer if they manage to get a deal for Hume across the line.
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