While most of us flip our calendars from June to July without too much thought, the football year being what it is means several Aston Villa players will today start their final 12 months of their existing contracts.
Player Departures and Contract Status
Twelve players officially left Villa yesterday, albeit young professionals and ex-scholars rather than established members of Unai Emery’s first team squad. Villa have been top notch with their housekeeping on that front, but have a few items to tend to in the coming weeks and months as six regulars and one fringe player see their current terms continue to tick down, including Europa League final hero Emiliano Buendia and club stalwart Tyrone Mings.
Emiliano Buendia: A Difficult Decision
Indeed Buendia could be the most difficult decision of all. The Argentine has performed a superb salvage operation on his Villa career having been both injured and seemingly out of Unai Emery’s thoughts when sent out on loan. He returned to play a key part in Villa’s successful 2025/26 season and in doing so generated a debate where none seemed to exist. Buendia joined Villa from Norwich in 2021, signed an extension to preserve his transfer value before going out on loan to Bayer Leverkusen in January 2025 – and has rehabilitated not only the knee injury sustained in August 2023 but his reputation with Villa fans. This could be the classic case of heart vs head.
Victor Lindelof: A Strong Case for Extension
Similarly Victor Lindelof confirmed himself to be an outstanding free signing with his work towards the end of the season, both at his regular position of centre back and in central midfield where he was a key part of the Emery masterplan that suffocated Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-finals. The Swede will be 32 later this month but is performing at a level – for both club and country – which makes him a real candidate for an extension.
Leon Bailey and Ross Barkley: Clearer Cases
The situation is likely to be more clear cut with Leon Bailey and Ross Barkley. It’s been a while since winger Bailey showed his best in a Villa shirt, indeed he struggled to get near it after returning from an ill-fated loan with Roma in January. He last signed an extension in February 2024, which his detailed on Transfermarkt as now entering its final year. Barkley returned to Villa in July 2024 but he has started just ten Premier League games in that time. He will be 33 in December.
Goalkeeping Situation
Marco Bizot joined Villa in July 2025, with Transfermarkt claiming his deal expires next summer. He was an able back-up to Emi Martinez last season but the goalkeeping department could be set for an overhaul if the Argentine leaves and a new No. 1 is found. Fellow ‘keeper Oliwier Zych has been at Villa since 2020 and signed an extension in December 2024. He has spent last season on loan with Raków Częstochowa.
Tyrone Mings: Club Stalwart
Finally Tyrone Mings signed a one-year extension last summer and has now been at Villa for more than seven years, during which time he has made 209 appearances, albeit only 15 starts in the league last season. He did start nine of the last 14 games, though. Mings will be 34 in March 2027.
Which players would you keep? Have your say.
