The new Premier League season is just over a month away – and Aston Villa fans have plenty of reason to be excited.

Unai Emery’s side travel to the London Stadium for their first game of the season against West Ham, kicking off what should be an exciting campaign as the Midlands club prepare for their first ever season in the Champions League.

While the anticipation brews for top-tier European football, Villa will know they’ll be in safe hands after Unai Emery extended his contract this summer.

The Spaniard, who has won a European competition four times, still has a month to build up his squad for the upcoming campaign. He has already been heavily linked with skilful forward Joao Felix, while commanding midfielder Amadou Onana looks set to pen a deal.

The club have already offloaded and purchased a plethora of players to adhere to the Premier League’s profit and sustainably rules, but they might not be done in the market just yet. Mirror Football takes a look at how Villa can improve further this month and the dream scenario they could see themselves in.

Pre-season friendlies

July 20: Spartak Trnava vs Aston Villa – Anton Malatinsky Stadium, Slovakia (15:00)
July 27: Aston Villa vs Columbus Crew – Lower.com Field, Ohio (01:00)
July 31: Aston Villa vs RB Leipzig – Red Bull Arena, New Jersey (01:00)
August 3: Aston Villa vs Club America – Soldier Field, Chicago (22:30)
August 7: Aston Villa vs Athletic Bilbao – Poundland Bescot Stadium (19:30)
August 10: Aston Villa vs Borussia Dortmund – Signal Iduna Park (16:00)

Transfers

One of the Premier League’s busiest clubs when it comes to transfers, Villa have already spent nearly £100million this window. Eight new signings will grace Villa Park next season, with the headliner being left-back Ian Maatsen.

On loan from Chelsea at Borussia Dortmund in the last campaign, the Dutchman was impressed as his side reached the Champions League final. Chelsea needed to balance their books and saw Villa pounce, and you’d expect the forward-thinking full-back to be a starter under Emery.

Another recruit who is yet to be announced is Everton midfielder Amadou Onana. A standout holding player in the Premier League, the 22-year-old Belgian is reportedly close to a £50 million switch to Villa Park and would be a real coup for the Midlanders in the middle of the park.

Onana looks set to sign for Villa ( 
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Getty Images)
Other signings include Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea from Juventus, Ross Barkley from Luton, young Everton forward Lewis Dobbin, and Jaden Philogene and Cameron Archer, both of whom return to the club.

Business is not done yet, however. According to reports in Spain, Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix is also of interest to the Villans. The club will only consider selling the Portuguese forward, not loaning him out and the fee they demand is believed to be roughly £50m, claim Marca. Felix grabbed headlines this month after his penalty miss put Portugal out of Euro 2024, but he would represent a real standout buy for Emery’s side, having joined Atletico in a club record deal in 2019.

Outgoings

While meeting the league’s PSR deadline, Villa had to make some financial sacrifices. Douglas Luiz was one of the club’s first names on the team sheet but had to be sold, moving to Juventus.

The Brazilian played over 200 games in the claret and blue of Villa, joining upon their return to the Premier League in 2019, and will be sorely missed in the middle of the park.

Thankfully, the club has signed some capable deputies. Youri Tielemans and John McGinn can already provide cover for the departed Luiz, and Onana will come into the midfield beside one of them to help dictate play while guarding the back line.

Luiz has departed for Juventus ( 
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Getty Images)
Other departures include Tim Iroegbunam to Everton in June, and French ace Morgan Sanson going to Nice. Another Frenchman, Moussa Diaby, is on the verge of departing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad.

Just one year after arriving to play under Emery, tricky winger Diaby has been tipped to depart for a near £60million fee. This would give the club a profit on the £43million they paid for him last summer, but it is reported that the Midlands club do not wish to let Diaby go.

If the club were to offload their winger, then the fee gathered may be reinvested into another signing, or it could see the young Morgan Rogers stake a claim on some first-team minutes. Ollie Watkins has also been linked with a move to Arsenal after his Euro 2024 heroics for England, although the Three Lions star has shown no inclination of wanting to leave Villa Park and looks set to lead Emery’s side into the Champions League this season.

Emery’s contract extension

Emery signed a contract extension in April which will see him remain with the club until 2027. The former Arsenal boss arrived at Villa Park in 2022 on a rescue mission after the club had won just two of their first 11 games under manager Steven Gerrard.

The Spaniard worked wonders, winning 15 of their 23 remaining league games, taking 49 points from a possible 75, and finishing in seventh – securing Europa Conference League football.

The last campaign saw him raise the club to another level. A fourth-placed finish secured Villa’s first taste of Champions League football since it underwent a re-brand from the European Cup.

Now, he is set to lead them into an even more promising season. Emery has won four Europa League titles, and though it is unlikely they win it all, he will seek to get them as far as he can within the new format. Any sort of silverware is surely on the agenda, too.

Aston Villa’s dream XI for opening day: Martinez; Cash, Torres, Konsa, Maatsen; Tielemans, Onana; Bailey, McGinn, Felix; Watkins