The Aston Villa squad list for the upcoming Europa League competition has been revealed. Following a series of moves before the summer transfer deadline, it looks to be a squad that can and will be able to go far on this European stage.
Still new to the side, Harvey Elliott, Jadon Sancho, and Victor Lindelöf have been included to be among the choices for Unai Emery.
UEL will be important for Villa as it is widely considered the most obvious opportunity for the club to be able to hoist a trophy. For a fan base that has longed for the chance to celebrate the winning of a competition, this year's Europa League appears to be the best chance Villa will have.
Assessing the rest of the roster, an attack that features Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers, and Donyell Malen is going to be able to be relied on to produce some goals. Evann Guessand has shown some nice early glimpses. Particularly against some of the weaker sides, the youngster could end up using Europa League as a way to gain a greater footing at Villa in his young career.
Then, any midfield with the likes of Youri Tielemans, John McGinn, Amadou Onana, and Boubacar Kamara is going to impress. Although injuries are limiting some of what Emery can do for now, a fully healthy midfield is primed to be one of the best in UEL.
The defenders will rely on Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, and Pau Torres. Matty Cash, Ian Maatsen, and Lucas Digne will patrol the outsides.
It remains to be seen as to which players end up seeing some more action in Europe this season. Managers often juggle the rotation around from the domestic league campaign in order to keep legs fresh. With so many quality options, Emery will once again be faced with a challenging proposition with each starting XI selection.
Inclusion despite near-Aston Villa exit
Finally, Emiliano Martínez has indeed been named to the squad. Following the failed move to Manchester United, there was some speculation as to what would happen with the Argentina international. Many Villa fans would have been more than happy to exclusively see Marco Bizot. As things stand now, it appears Emery and Villa are willing to let the latest saga remain in the past even if many supporters are still upset over how the late developments unfolded at the deadline.