It has been entirely too long since Aston Villa last played. Now with some of the pre-season friendly action set to begin, the immediate answers that supporters have are starting to become clear. While some are still hoping for a massive magnitude of some sort, by all accounts, it looks as if the squad will be as is for the immediate future, barring a potential departure or two.
Monday saw the side's social media page share pictures of all players back in Bodymoor, getting ready for the upcoming fixtures and the 2025-2026 campaign.
Seeing the likes of Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers back, training under the watchful gaze of Unai Emery, provides a momentary boost to get through the final stretch of the summer without any games.
There may be some Villa fans who are apprehensive over the club not making any major additions, similar to the other clubs. It has to be kept in mind, though, that Yasin Özcan and Zépiqueno Redmond are newcomers to B6. Still largely unproven and not as well known to EPL followers as a whole, these are two signings that will age well for Villa.
Probably the best aspect of the club's summer activities is that there wasn't a splash made for someone who was realistically overpriced. All the time, clubs will make a splurge, only needing to find a way to attempt to recoup some of the money through a discounted sale.
Knowing what to expect at Aston Villa
Setting aside the cost of a signing, introducing someone new who costs a lot can have longer, bad effects. Bringing in someone who isn't quite right can derail the way in which a club goes about its business and stunt growth.
Instead, Villa have brought in two up-and-coming players while keeping the rest of the corps intact. That is more useful than taking a risk, in which there will always be, at best, a 50/50 chance of the newcomer working out. Villa has done well to avoid this possibility.