Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has candidly admitted that the winter transfer window proved to be a significant disruption for the club, even as they invested approximately £40 million to strengthen the squad. The Spanish boss, known for his tactical acumen, expressed relief that the window has now closed, allowing the team to refocus fully on their Premier League campaign.
Emery's Honest Assessment of January Business
In a frank admission, Emery revealed that the transfer period always presents a challenge, describing it as something that "disturbed us a little bit" during both the summer and winter windows. This disruption comes despite Villa making strategic moves in the market, including the departure of Donyell Malen to AS Roma and the arrival of long-term target Tammy Abraham.
Squad Changes and Injury Challenges
The January window saw further activity at Villa Park, with Douglas Luiz arriving on loan with an option to buy, following Youri Tielemans' two-month injury lay-off. This move came after Leon Bailey returned from his loan spell at Roma. These changes occurred against a backdrop of injury concerns, with Boubacar Kamara ruled out for the season and John McGinn facing another month on the sidelines.
Emery acknowledged that these injury setbacks have contributed to Villa's slight dip in form, but he was clear that the transfer window itself has also been a factor in their recent results. The club has won only one of their last five league games, though they maintain third place in the Premier League table.
Recent Form and Home Disappointments
The Villa manager addressed their recent home form specifically, noting: "The last two results at home is maybe the difficult moment for us because we were feeling so, so strong at home and we were getting points." He emphasised the importance of maintaining strength at Villa Park while accepting that occasional dips in performance are inevitable in the demanding Premier League environment.
Emery reflected on their season trajectory, stating: "We were bad at the beginning, we were fantastic during the process in November, December, even in Christmas. But again, with those two results we had at home, of course, during the matches playing at home, we played in Istanbul and we played in Newcastle, performing fantastic both matches."
Looking Ahead to Bournemouth Clash
With the transfer window now closed, Emery emphasised that the squad is settled and the focus has shifted entirely to their upcoming match against Bournemouth. He explained: "More or less, the squad is now closed, and we are focusing now (on) the match tomorrow, of course, with the difficulties we are facing in each match."
The manager detailed their preparation work, saying: "How we are, more or less, during this week after those two matches we lost at home, more or less it's a busy week – working, speaking, trying to again get our structure here in (the) training ground strong."
Emery concluded by reinforcing the importance of consistency across the entire Premier League season, stating: "The consistency in 38 matches is our objective." His comments provide a transparent insight into how even successful transfer business can temporarily unsettle a team's rhythm during the intense Premier League season.
