Aston Villa Crisis Deepens After Startling Behind-The-Scenes Claims: Why Emery Still Has The Tools To Steady The Ship? | OneFootball

Aston Villa knew that they had to manage the summer transfer window within a budget constraint, as UEFA and Premier League regulations demanded them to be cautious with their spending. The Lions sold Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle United for over £45 million, which helped them gain substantial funds.

Meanwhile, Leon Bailey and Enzo Barreneche departed on loan, which opened up space in the team. Unai Emery’s side also signed high-profile players like Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on loan on the Deadline Day, while Victor Lindelof arrived on a free transfer.

Villa also signed Evann Guessand, Marco Bizot, and Yasin Ozcan, but registered a net profit of just £7.7 million. Meanwhile, the club has made a poor start to the ongoing season, and fans are definitely worried about the situation. Reports even suggest that Atletico Madrid have a growing interest in Youri Tielemans, which has added another layer of uncertainty around Villa’s plans.

Unsettled squad and discontent behind the scenes

Amidst this situation, former Villa scout, Mick Brown, has revealed to Football Insider, that the situation within the team’s dressing room is quite worrying. A number of players started the season without knowing their status in the summer transfer window. Emiliano Martinez did not know for a long time whether he would be playing at Villa or in some other club.

WALSALL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 06: Unai Emery, Manager of Aston Villa, reacts during the pre-season friendly match between Aston Villa and AS Roma at Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium on August 06, 2025 in Walsall, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Multiple clubs were also looking at Ollie Watkins as a possible signing. Meanwhile, there were repeated rumours about departure of Morgan Rogers in the summer, and the same happened with John McGinn. Brown feels that Emery built a unity within his team last season, which has broken due to the uncertain situation of several players in the summer, and that is why the club has started poorly this season. The absence of clarity was the main reason why the Lions have struggled to get going so far this season.

What did he say?

“The situation in the summer has caused a lot of discontent among the players. Martinez had all the talk about his future; it was never clear whether he was staying or going, whether they wanted to cash in or he was part of the plans, which wasn’t just on his end. Watkins as well, all the talk was about Villa being willing to let him go and whether clubs like Arsenal, Man United, Newcastle might be interested.

“Morgan Rogers, there was a lot of interest in him and speculation about his future. Plus a load of other players in that team as well whom there was so much uncertainty, even the likes of John McGinn, who was mentioned too. It’s no surprise their form has gone off a cliff, because none of the players during the summer knew whether they’d even be there at the start of the season.

“That’s a major issue for Emery, because it’s a completely different dynamic to the one he had build up before where everybody was pulling in the same direction, it was a tight-knit unit with everybody fighting for the same thing. When you drift away from that, with a lot of unhappy players, it’s a very difficult position to be in.”

Why Emery still has the tools to steady the ship?

We cannot help but feel that Unai Emery still holds the answers if given time. His task begins with restoring belief inside the squad, particularly after the unsettling departure of Ramsey. Players like Watkins developed impressively under Emery, and he can draw similar progress from others if he manages to shift the mindset. Sancho and Elliott provide fresh attacking options, while Lindelof’s presence offers defensive stability, so adapting his tactical approach could be crucial.

Emery can consider slight tweaks to his system, making the team less predictable and using younger players more creatively. Importantly, his reputation has always been built on his sharp tactical vision and the way he gets individuals to play above their level. If he channels that again, Villa can work their way out of the current slump.

It is worth noting that reports suggest Villa have no plans to sack Emery, so the hierarchy appears ready to give him room to address the issues. The coming months may demand patience, but if Emery settles the dressing room and imposes his methods with authority, Villa can still recover their season and rebuild the spirit that drove their recent progress.