Aston Villa are evolving again this summer.
With the record-breaking sale of Morgan Rodgers to Chelsea completed, Unai Emery has lost one of the key cogs in his attack, but the Spaniard is nothing if not adaptable.
Alejandro Garnacho is set to sign for Villa and more is in store. At least Ollie Watkins is still at the front. The Three Lions striker will continue to be a central figure next year.
It makes us think: Villa’s attacking set-up has come a long way over the years, with the Midlands club on pace for a number nine since the days of Christian Benteke.
Aston Villa’s best striker ranking since Benteke
Benteke has had his faults, but the Belgian powerhouse has been clinical for Aston Villa during a turbulent period for the club. After joining from Genk for £7m in 2012, he made 101 appearances and scored 49 goals. He left after three seasons and joined Liverpool for £32.5 million.
His departure caused the Villans to suffer the worst disaster of a season in their history, leading to a stunning slump that saw them relegated to the Championship. They then rebuilt themselves and stabilized in the second division with the help of players like Jonathan Codilla, before reaping the hefty wages offered by then-loan player Tammy Abraham, who became a permanent player a few years later.
Abraham is one of the stars of our time and has contributed to the overall rise of Aston Villa. However, his impact cannot be said to match Benteke’s, and Benteke probably ranks only behind Watkins on the charts.
The impact of John Duran’s costume was short-lived, but very nice. What a capricious and mysterious heretic he was! Already a career nomad at the age of 22, Duran’s incredible attacking ability during his time at Villa was unquestioned, and he left the club in January 2025 for a fee of £71 million.
Of course, we must not forget about Gabby Agbonlahor. The one-club man is a cult hero in the Midlands, but his richest days at Villa Park came before Benteke.
Aston Villa’s best striker since Benteke | ||
|---|---|---|
# | striker | App (goal) |
1. | ollie watkins | 278 (108) |
2. | Christian Benteke | 101(49) |
3. | Tammy Abraham | 56(29) |
4. | john duran | 78(20) |
5. | Gabby Agbonlahor | 391 (86) |
6. | Jonathan Codilla | 106(31) |
Watkins’ brilliance has been the driving force behind Aston Villa’s rise under Emery, but the 30-year-old has had his ups and downs over the last season and Aston Villa need a new centre-forward to lead them into further wealth.
Aston Villa are confident of agreeing new Benteke deal
Aston Villa, Europa League holders and Champions League contenders, are currently faltering in the final third. The sale of Rodgers will do that, but Emery has the chance to make further changes after signing Garnacho.
According to TEAMtalk, one of these signings could arrive in the form of Chelsea’s Nicholas Jackson, who has returned to England after a year abroad with Bayern Munich. The German giants decided against a permanent transfer after his loan period ended.
Jackson, 25, is open to a move to Villa Park, with Aston Villa understood to be in advanced negotiations to sign the Senegalese international for a record £65m. Emery and others are “confident” that they can agree personal terms with the player.
With negotiations now at the ‘decision stage’, Emery will want to move quickly to sign a dynamic striker whose speed, ability and experience in the Premier League would secure a perfect new dimension for the club.
During the 2024/25 Premier League season, Jackson scored nine goals and provided three assists before Christmas. He then added one more strike to his collection. It’s up to you to decide what to make of it, but it definitely shows an ability to sustain a prolific burst of form.
Perhaps a more prominent role at Aston Villa could be the turning point Jackson needs in England, ultimately establishing him as one of the division’s top strikers.
30 goals and 12 assists in 81 games for Chelsea isn’t bad at all, but there’s no doubt that the Senegalese striker needs to improve his shooting ability if he wants to erase Benteke’s impact at Villa Park and start knocking on Watkins’ door.
After all, Jackson missed 43 big chances in two seasons in England’s top flight. He certainly knows how to create opportunities for himself, but the actual act of conversion leaves a lot to be desired.
Benteke: A striker with no doubts about his ability to score goals consistently. His strike rate at Aston Villa was excellent. Still, he lacks composure and control at times in the final third, something Jackson is currently working on.
However, Emery is taking a chance on the physical and athletic attacker. He could be the perfect tactician to unlock Jackson’s latent qualities and guide him beyond the likes of Benteke and beyond Watkins as the new talisman that will lead this club to further success in the coming years.
