Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has outlined the specific type of forward he aims to recruit this month, following the confirmed departure of winger Donyell Malen to Italian side AS Roma.
Emery's clear transfer priority
Unai Emery has explicitly stated his desire to sign a central striker to provide competition and cover for first-choice forward Ollie Watkins. This need arose after Donyell Malen completed a loan move to Roma, which includes an obligation for the Serie A club to make the deal permanent.
The Villa boss explained that the club agreed to Malen's exit, understanding the player's wish for more regular game time in his preferred centre-forward role – opportunities that were limited in his single year at Villa Park, where he made just seven Premier League starts.
Repeating a proven squad model
Emery drew a direct parallel with the situation three-and-a-half years ago when he first arrived at the club. "We had Watkins and [Danny] Ings. Ings left because he had offers and good deals with other clubs," Emery recalled.
"In that moment, it was the same situation as now. He was performing well, he was a striker competing with Watkins, and he decided to leave." The manager noted that Villa then signed Jhon Duran, who progressed over two years before his own departure last year.
That pattern continued with the loan signings of Marcus Rashford and Malen last year, who Emery described as "wingers or strikers." With Malen now having left, the Spanish coach is determined to return to a familiar and effective squad structure.
The search for a traditional number nine
The priority is unequivocally a player with the classic characteristics of a central striker. "We need the same situation we had the last three years: one player competing with Watkins," Emery emphasised.
"The priority is someone as a central striker, with the characteristics as a striker, and to compete with Watkins or maybe even play with him." This strategic shift indicates a move away from versatile forwards like Malen towards a more specialist goal-scorer.
This public clarification of Villa's transfer strategy comes amid strong and persistent speculation linking the club with a move for former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, who currently plays for Besiktas. Abraham's profile appears to match Emery's description of a traditional, physical centre-forward capable of challenging Watkins for a starting spot.
Emery concluded by stressing the practical need for the new signing: "Now, Malen has left and another player can help us with numbers in the squad." Villa fans will now watch closely to see which striker the club secures to fulfil their manager's specific tactical demand.
