Aston Villa’s progress in recent years has been astonishing, with Unai Emery turning the club into a consistent challenger in Europe.
The Spaniard has led the Villains to a 56% win rate so far, winning 99 of 177 games since taking over in November 2022.
His arrival has certainly made the club one of the most threatening teams in the Premier League, as evidenced by their record of just six league defeats in the 2025-26 season.
But his success has been made all the more impressive as the club’s operations in the market have been restricted by pressing profit and sustainability issues.
As a result, the manager may consider releasing a number of players from the senior ranks, with multiple talents in the squad falling far below the standards expected of them.
The statistics behind Lucas Digne’s struggles in 2025/26
Back in the winter of 2022, Villa reportedly paid £25 million to sign left-back Lucas Digne, with real hopes that he would take the club to the next level.
The Frenchman has since made 170 appearances in all competitions and was often Emery’s starting left-back during his time at Villa Park.
However, the 2025/26 season was a memorable one for the 32-year-old defender, who was often criticized for his lack of impressive performances.
His worst performance was probably against Bournemouth at Vitality a few weeks ago, when Digne’s non-existent defending allowed Ryan to ghost and he shot home.
His struggles are underlined by the full-back’s 0.2 completed dribbles per 90 attempts, which places him in the bottom 25% of all defenders in England’s top flight.
Digne also ranks in the bottom 25% with just 0.6 interceptions per 90 attempts, further illustrating the struggles he faces when trying to dislodge opponents.
Villa star who should never play under Emery again
Villa’s form has been somewhat stagnant across all competitions in recent weeks, with Emery’s side winning just one of their last four games in all competitions.
Marco Bizzotto’s red card against Newcastle United last weekend undoubtedly played a role in the defeat, with the goalkeeper’s moment of madness leading to the team being eliminated from the FA Cup.
However, the club remains firmly in the race to secure a top-four spot at the end of the season, which could significantly improve the club’s finances and PSR position.
Aston Villa’s richest contract in history
NSWE has invested significant funds in recent years.
If they are to finish above Manchester United and Liverpool, they will need to make a number of changes to strengthen their efforts.
Despite the need to make changes in the senior ranks, full-back Andres Garcia is a player who should not be called up between now and the end of the season.
The Spaniard joined the Villans from Levante for £6m before add-ons in January last year, but has proved very difficult to earn regular first-team appearances.
The 23-year-old has made just 14 appearances in 13 months with the West Midlands, and there is no doubt Emery would prefer a player like Matty Cash in the right-back role.
It was a memorable season for Garcia, who went on to make just four appearances in all competitions, none of which were starts.
He was on the pitch for only 56 minutes in four games, and even after his transfer he was unable to break into the starting lineup.
However, his stats from five starts in the league last season were underwhelming, and the manager clearly made the right decision to keep him out of the starting XI.
Andres Garcia – PL statistics (2024/25) | |
|---|---|
Statistics (every 90) | tally |
games played | 5 |
Play time (minutes) | 317 |
An opportunity has arisen | 0.2 |
Dribbling completed | 29% |
won a duel | 32% |
Number of intercepts | 0.5 |
dribbled past | 1.5 |
cross success | 27% |
Garcia completed just 29% of his attempted dribbles and created just 0.2 chances per 90. His struggles moving forward with the ball were then highlighted.
Without the ball, the youngster won just 32% of his duels, ranking him in the bottom 1% of all defenders in the division for the 2024/25 season.
He also had an interception rate of only 0.5 per 90 attempts and was dribbled 1.5 times per 90 attempts, showing his lack of ability to win the ball back in Emery’s team.
As a result, it is clear that Garcia is not at the level required to succeed in England’s top flight, and it is clear that the manager does not see the defender as part of his long-term plans.
He and Digne are the two players the Villains should ultimately move on when the summer transfer window opens, especially if they want to build on this season’s success.
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Aston Villa made the mistake of allowing a youngster to leave Villa Park on the cheap.
