Aston Villa summer transfer window: Top targets, budget, and priority positions

There was little time to reflect on a painfully close Champions League near-miss for Aston Villa last season, as the Birmingham club quickly began preparations for the 2025-26 campaign.

After finishing just outside the Premier League's top five, Villa now need to recruit from a lower tier - both in terms of transfer fees and salaries - rather than continuing their ambitious policy of recent windows.

Instead of proven stars, players with potential are set to arrive, and while head coach Unai Emery will be keen to retain all of his main men, some may have to depart if the Villans are to have many incomings.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at Villa's 2025 summer transfer window, including their top targets, priority positions, budget and most likely signings.

Aston Villa's top targets for 2025 summer transfer window

The much-loved Emiliano Martinez has been heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia or Manchester United, and should the goalkeeper leave, Lille shot-stopper Lucas Chevalier appears to be Emery's number one target. 

As Axel Disasi heads back to Chelsea, Aston Villa are keen on strengthening their centre-back options, with Jhon Lucumi and Loic Bade both linked, while young Yasin Ozcan has arrived from Kasimpasa in a switch secured earlier this year. 

In midfield, Villa are weighing up a potential move to re-sign Douglas Luiz just a year after selling him to Italian giants Juventus, although they face competition from Everton and West Ham United. 

The Villans are no longer looking at a potential deal to bring Marco Asensio back to the club on a permanent deal after his loan spell, while retaining Marcus Rashford was never likely on a Europa League budget. 

However, the latter's Manchester United teammate Alejandro Garnacho is supposedly being tracked; the winger sparked rumours following a social media post wearing Rashford's Aston Villa shirt.

Meanwhile, Villa have been linked with a potential move for Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson, who could struggle for playing time following the arrivals of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro.

Emery is fully aware of Jackson's strengths and weaknesses after working with the Senegal international during his time in the Villarreal dugout. 

Aston Villa budget for 2025 summer transfer window

Missing out on successive Champions League qualifications means that Emery and co must cut their cloth accordingly, and Villa's summer budget has suffered.

The Midlands club stand to lose out by anywhere between £30m and £100m, and player sales will be required to boost the coffers. As they need to reduce an inflated wage bill to comply with UEFA's new restrictions - 'only' 70% of revenue can be spent on wages and agent fees from next season - remaining high earners could be sold. Already set to incur a substantial fine for last year's breaches, squad costs simply have to come down.

So, with that in mind, Villa have finally cut Philippe Coutinho loose. With 12 months left on his contract, he had been on loan at Vasco da Gama; all parties were keen for him to stay, and a deal has been agreed.

New clubs could also be found for Leander Dendoncker, Emiliano Buendia - who spent the second half of last season at Bayer Leverkusen - and Nottingham Forest loanee Alex Moreno.

RB Leipzig had a £12m option to buy full-back Kosta Nedeljkovic but did not take it up, instead extending his loan for one more year.

Enzo Barrenechea will raise much-needed funds by moving to Benfica, while youngsters Kaine Kesler-Hayden and Louie Barry are both bound for the Championship.

Aston Villa's most likely signings for 2025 summer transfer window

Both brought in during what was widely considered a successful January window, loanees Disasi and Asensio were once targets; however, longer-term deals are surely out of reach.

Disasi will be allowed to leave Chelsea, but Villa did not hold an option to sign him on a permanent basis and would now need to negotiate. Asensio's loan from European champions Paris Saint-Germain did have such a clause, though the 29-year-old's high salary has proved a big problem.

A more modest buy, teenage Feyenoord striker Zepiqueno Redmond arrived at Villa Park earlier this month. Out of contract in Rotterdam, he is seen as one for the future and should initially join up with the Under-21s.

Marco Bizot has been brought in to replace outgoing back-up goalkeeper Robin Olsen, with Brest's Dutch stopper recently signing for a cut-price fee.   

Aston Villa's priority positions for 2025 summer transfer window

Emery has been consulting with long-time associate Monchi - Villa's president of football operations - and several others on the recruitment team about potential targets, and defensive reinforcements seem to top their list.

The claret-and-blue club intend to strengthen at right-back and in the centre, although upgrades might be tough to secure given the financial situation before making more sales. 

A departure for top-earner Martinez could help combat further concerns over PSR (the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules), but another goalkeeper would then have to come in, as Robin Olsen has already left for Malmo on a free transfer.

Leon Bailey could also draw an offer from the Saudi Pro League, while Jacob Ramsey has emerged as a transfer target for Nottingham Forest.

Morgan Rogers is also attracting interest from Club World Cup winners Chelsea, and losing a player of his calibre would surely force Villa to splash the cash to find a suitable replacement to avoid a drop in quality to Emery's attacking options. 

There is a possibility that Villa may need to sign a striker if Ollie Watkins departs this summer, with the forward believed to be generating interest from the likes of Man United and Liverpool. 

In fact, it might be a busy end to the summer in B6.

Written by
Jonathan O'Shea