With the 2021/22 season winding down, attention begins to turn towards what should be a fascinating summer transfer window ahead of Steven Gerrard’s first pre-season as Aston Villa boss.
There will no doubt be a string of exciting additions made to the Villa squad before the 2022/23 season, but there is also a laundry list of players who could be on their way out of Villa Park.
Pending free agents
I’ve broken the potential departures into three groups, starting with the two senior players who are out of contract this summer.
Ashley Young
Young is set to be a free agent at the end of the season, but it feels like he will return for at least one more year in claret and blue. The utility man has provided a steady veteran presence in 2021/22, making 22 league appearances, primarily at left back. He may turn 37 this summer, but Young has shown he still has enough in the tank to warrant a place in the squad. Manager Steven Gerrard has gone on record saying if it’s up to him, Young will be back.
Conor Hourihane
Hourihane’s exit from Villa Park was sealed when he was sent out on a season-long loan to Sheffield United last summer. The Irishman even stated on Instagram: “My time as an Aston Villa player has come to an end”.
Likely to leave
Disclaimer: This list is of course predicated on Villa’s ability to offload any players they wish to move on from, which is often easier said than done.
Frederic Guilbert
My heart wanted to give Guilbert more of a chance of staying at Villa, but ultimately, my head prevailed. Guilbert is an odd case, a solid player who seemed to suddenly fall out of favour with Dean Smith, and has never played for Steven Gerrard.
Guilbert would make an excellent backup to Matty Cash, but with a year left on his contract and having re-established his value through strong loan spells back in his native France, it is likely Villa will cash in on Guilbert this summer and potentially install Kaine Kesler-Hayden as the second-string right back.
Matt Targett
Newcastle United have an option to buy Targett at the end of the season, although there are reports the club is still unsure on whether they want to do so.
Regardless, it seems Targett has made it clear he doesn’t intend to be Lucas Digne’s backup, and will likely force his way out of Villa Park this summer.
Anwar El Ghazi
El Ghazi has scored some crucial goals during his time at Villa, but has slowly faded from the first team picture as higher quality attacking players have been brought in. With his contract expiring in 2023 and the winger turning 28 this year, El Ghazi may well have played his final game for Villa.
Trezeguet
See: El Ghazi
Wesley
Wesley has had a torrid time since joining Villa during the 2019 recruitment drive. The Brazilian struggled for goals in his debut Premier League season and then suffered an horrific knee injury which has derailed his career.
The striker has spent much of the last two seasons on loan at Club Brugge and Internacional, but has made only six league appearances across the two loan spells. Villa will almost certainly be looking to offload Wesley this summer.
Lovre Kalinic
Remember him? Yes, Kalinic is still on Villa’s books. The Croatian goalkeeper joined in January of 2019 and struggled from the start, letting in eight goals in his first three games for the club. He hasn’t played for Villa since 2019 and Villa could look to receive some kind of return on Kalinic before his contract runs out next year.
50/50
While there are many players Villa could be looking to move on before the start of next season, there are also plenty whose future appears up in the air.
Douglas Luiz
There were reports in January 2022 which claimed Villa rejected multiple bids for Luiz, and were keen to tie him down to a new contract. That has yet to transpire and Luiz’s current deal runs out in 2023.
Luiz has yet to live up to his potential in claret and blue and has arguably been misused as a makeshift defensive midfielder, rather than in his natural ‘number eight’ position.
The Brazilian is obviously talented and is still only 23 years old. If Villa wants quality competition for places, they should be persistent in their attempts to keep Luiz, but if he ultimately wants out, this summer is the time to go.
Bertrand Traore
Traore played 36 Premier League games a season ago, contributing seven goals and six assists, but has seen his playing time dwindle in an injury-plagued 2021/22 season.
The mercurial winger provides an ‘anything could happen’ element to Villa’s attack when he has the ball at his feet, and still has two years remaining on his contract, but it remains to be seen whether he is in Gerrard’s plans.
Keinan Davis
Davis excelled during a long-awaited loan spell at Nottingham Forest, before the familiar injury issues popped up and ended his season prematurely. The striker provides a skillset which Villa otherwise don’t have, as a bigger target who can hold the ball up and link effectively with teammates.
But after finally tasting regular first team football, Davis, whose contract expires in 2024, could seek a move away from Villa Park in search of a clearer path to the starting 11.
Morgan Sanson
It just hasn’t happened so far for Morgan Sanson. The Frenchman joined Villa 18 months ago, and is still waiting for an opportunity to show what he can do with a regular run in the team.
While he has flashed his ability, injuries have continually kept Sanson out of the lineup, and he has found it difficult to displace manager’s favourites John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey in midfield even when healthy. Villa face a decision on whether to show patience or cut ties with Sanson this summer.
Carney Chukwuemeka
Villa and Chukwuemeka appear to be at an impasse. The youngster’s contract runs out next summer, and he has yet to sign a new deal despite the club’s best efforts.
This is a situation which is understandable from both sides; Chukwuemeka wants assurances there is a pathway to the first team before deciding his future, but Villa don’t want to give valuable match minutes to a player who is not committed for the long haul.
Chukwuemeka is an extremely talented player, and Villa won’t want to lose him, but the only thing worse would be losing him as a free agent in a year. This summer feels like decision time on Chukwuemeka’s future.
Jed Steer
Steer is the longest-serving player currently on Villa’s books, and like many other players on this list, his contract expires next year.
The 29-year-old ‘keeper would enter the 2022/23 season as Villa’s primary backup, but Steer may be looking to become a starter at this stage of his career, after a serious Achilles injury ended a loan spell at Luton Town early.
What do you think? Who should stay and who should leave Aston Villa this summer?
The Villa Ramble 
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