Aston Villa have been quite busy during the January transfer window as they look to improve their chances of finishing in the Champions League this season.
Unai Emery’s team were reportedly seeking ambitious deals for Barcelona forward Ferran Torres and Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, but were unable to secure either deal.
Mateta almost signed for AC Milan rather than move to Villa Park, but a medical revealed a knee problem and he ended up staying at Selhurst Park.
Villa have decided to change tack by signing Besiktas centre-forward Tammy Abraham, bringing the England international back to the club for the second time.
The former Chelsea striker spent the 2018/19 season on loan at Villa Park in the Championship, winning promotion under Dean Smith and now has the chance to play Premier League football for the Villans.
Evaluating Aston Villa’s January signings
In addition to signing Abraham, Villa brought Douglas Ruiz back to the club on loan from Italian giants Juventus and signed young Brazilian Alisson from Gremio on a permanent contract.
Luiz, like the English striker, was a shrewd signing by the Villans. This is because he joined the club as a well-known fact, having previously played for the club and scoring 22 goals and providing 24 assists in 206 games.
So it’s hard to rate the Lewis-Abraham deal anything less than an 8 out of 10. That’s because they are both proven stars in the Premier League, who know what it takes to play for Villa and can hit the ground running.
On the other hand, Villa brought Leon Bailey back from his loan to Roma last month, which doesn’t seem like a good job. The Jamaican international has scored two goals in 52 appearances for Villa and Roma since the start of last season, but has missed his first three games since returning to the club.
Aston Villa winter arrival assessment | |
|---|---|
player | evaluation |
Abraham (perpetual) | 8/10 |
Lewis (Loan) | 8/10 |
Alison (permanent) | 7.5/10 |
Bailey (returning from loan) | 3/10 |
Unless Bailey can return to the level he had in 2023/24, when he scored 14 goals and provided 13 assists, the left-footed flop is unlikely to be able to contribute significantly at the top end of the pitch.
As it stands, the Villans should be looking to finally part ways with the Jamaican winger, who has been abysmal in the final third over the past 18 months, when the summer transfer window opens.
Aston Villa could discover new Morgan Rodgers
Of the four players who joined Villa during the winter, Alisson was probably the one who received the most attention after the headline additions of Lewis and Abraham.
However, we rated this deal a 7.5 out of 10. Because he looks like a very exciting prospect who could end up being Villa’s next Morgan Rodgers.
Villa signed the English attacking midfielder as a young prospect from Middlesbrough in early 2024 and he regularly scored and provided assists in his first full season at the club, registering 14 goals and 13 assists in 2024-25.
Alisson could follow in Rodgers’ footsteps by spending the first five months adjusting to life at Villa after signing in the January transfer window, before starting as a star player in his first full season.
The 19-year-old starlet is yet to make his senior debut for the Villains since signing from Gremio last month, but journalist Jacob Tanswell said his team-mates have been “impressed” with his “speed and power” in training.
Alisson, who turns 20 in May, has made 41 competitive appearances at first-team level for Gremio after impressing at academy level, meaning he already has experience of senior football and is poised to step into the Premier League in the coming weeks.
Alisson’s club career (Youth + First Team) | ||
|---|---|---|
season | game | Goal + Assist |
2025 | 43 | 2+5 |
2024 | 20 | 6+2 |
2023 | 1 | 0+0 |
The teenage ace, who, in the words of John Townley, is a “promising prospect”, showed he has the potential to score and assist on a regular basis like Rodgers, making 23 appearances for Brazil at Under-23 level before progressing to the first team, scoring seven goals and providing five assists.
Alisson made 41 appearances for Gremio’s first team, scoring just one goal and providing two assists, which shouldn’t be surprising on paper, but it’s worth remembering that Rodgers only scored two goals in 26 Championship games the season he signed for Villa.
Clubs will be looking for character and potential in a young player’s performance rather than their pure achievements at the time, but they clearly struck gold with the Middlesbrough star.
It will be up to Emery to offer Alisson, who primarily plays on the wing, a first-team opportunity in the Premier League and see if he can become the next Rodgers.
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