First-team squad
26
under contract
Average age
26.2
years
Window spend
£209.5m
9 arrivals
Contracts to 2027
8
nearest expiry
The Squad, In Full
Every player under first-team contract. Names link to their Player Database page where they've entered the club's notable-players list. Fees in euros as recorded at signing.
Goalkeepers
| # | Player | Position | Age | Nation | Height | Foot | Signed | Contract to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | Marco Bizot | Goalkeeper | 35 | Netherlands | 6'4" | right | 2025 from Brest (€0.5m) | 2027 |
| 1 | Zion Suzuki | Goalkeeper | 24 | Japan | 6'3" | right | 2026 from Parma (€30m (+€5m add-ons)) | 2031 |
Defenders
| # | Player | Position | Age | Nation | Height | Foot | Signed | Contract to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Pau Torres | Centre-Back | 29 | Spain | 6'4" | left | 2023 from Villarreal (€33m) | 2028 |
| 48 | Modou Kéba Cissé | Centre-Back | 21 | Senegal | 6'3" | — | 2026 from LASK (€5.5m) | 2029 |
| 3 | Victor Lindelöf | Centre-Back | 32 | Sweden | 6'2" | right | 2025 from Man United (free) | 2027 |
| 5 | Tyrone Mings | Centre-Back | 33 | England | 6'5" | left | 2019 from Bournemouth (€22.3m) | 2027 |
| 22 | Ian Maatsen | Left-Back | 24 | Netherlands | 5'10" | left | 2024 from Chelsea (€44.5m) | 2030 |
| 2 | Matty Cash | Right-Back | 29 | Poland | 6'1" | right | 2020 from Nottingham Forest (€15.75m) | 2029 |
| 13 | Matteo Ruggeri | Left-Back | 24 | Italy | 6'2" | left | 2026 from Atlético Madrid (€25m (+€1.5m add-ons)) | — |
| 29 | Aaron Wan-Bissaka | Right-Back | 28 | DR Congo | 6'0" | right | 2026 from West Ham United (loan) (loan (obligation to buy ~£18m, appearance-conditional)) | 2027 |
Midfielders
| # | Player | Position | Age | Nation | Height | Foot | Signed | Contract to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Amadou Onana | Defensive Midfield | 25 | Belgium | 6'5" | right | 2024 from Everton (€59.35m) | 2029 |
| 8 | Boubacar Kamara | Defensive Midfield | 26 | France | 6'0" | right | 2022 from Marseille (free) | 2030 |
| 26 | Lamare Bogarde | Defensive Midfield | 22 | Netherlands | 6'1" | right | 2024 from Villa academy | 2028 |
| 7 | John McGinn | Central Midfield | 31 | Scotland | 5'10" | left | 2018 from Hibernian (€3.1m) | 2028 |
| 6 | Ross Barkley | Central Midfield | 32 | England | 6'2" | right | 2024 from Luton (€5.9m) | 2027 |
| 44 | Johan Manzambi | Attacking Midfield | 20 | Switzerland | 6'0" | right | 2026 from SC Freiburg (€70m) | 2031 |
| 35 | João Gomes | Central Midfield | 25 | Brazil | 5'9" | 2026 from Wolverhampton Wanderers (£38m) · squad number to be confirmed | 2031 | |
| 53 | George Hemmings | Central Midfield | 19 | England | — | both | 2026 from Academy | — |
| 27 | Leon Goretzka | Central Midfield | 31 | Germany | 6'2" | right | 2026 from Free agent (Bayern Munich) (Free) · Free transfer confirmed August 27th 2026; reported as a two-year deal with a one-year option, exact contract expiry not yet published by the club. | — |
Forwards
| # | Player | Position | Age | Nation | Height | Foot | Signed | Contract to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Emiliano Buendía | Left Winger | 29 | Argentina | 5'8" | right | 2021 from Norwich (€38.4m) | 2027 |
| 31 | Leon Bailey | Right Winger | 29 | Jamaica | 5'10" | left | 2021 from Bayer Leverkusen (€32m) | 2027 |
| 47 | Alysson | Right Winger | 20 | Brazil | 6'0" | left | 2026 from Grêmio (€10m) | 2031 |
| 18 | Tammy Abraham | Centre-Forward | 28 | England | 6'4" | right | 2026 from Beşiktaş (€21m) | 2030 |
| 17 | Alejandro Garnacho | Left Winger | 22 | Argentina | 5'11" | right | 2026 from Chelsea (loan) (loan (~£42.5m obligation)) | 2027 |
| 39 | Brian Madjo | Centre-Forward | 17 | England | 6'4" | right | 2026 from Metz (£10m) | 2032 |
| — | Nicolas Jackson | Centre-Forward | 25 | Senegal | 6'2" | — | 2026 from Chelsea (£47.5m (+£17.5m add-ons)) · Permanent transfer confirmed August 28th 2026 (Villa TV); reported as a five-year contract, exact expiry and squad number not yet published by the club as of this run. | — |
Out on loan
| Player | Position | Club | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kosta Nedeljković | Right-Back | Rangers | Season-long loan with a £4m appearance-triggered obligation to buy (August 19th) |
| Oliwier Zych | Goalkeeper | Vitória Guimarães | Season loan (July 15th) |
| Andrés García | Right-Back | Getafe | Season loan (July 16th) |
| Joe Gauci | Goalkeeper | Lincoln City | Season-long loan (July 28th) |
| Evann Guessand | Right Winger | Crystal Palace | Season-long loan with a conditional obligation to buy (August 12th) |
| Samuel Iling-Junior | Left Winger | Bolton Wanderers | Season-long loan (August 14th) |
Current Best XI — 4-2-3-1
STNicolas JacksonTammy Abraham
LWAlejandro GarnachoGeorge Hemmings
AMEmiliano BuendíaRoss Barkley
RWJohn McGinnAlysson
LDMBoubacar KamaraJohn McGinn
RDMLeon GoretzkaLamare Bogarde
LBIan MaatsenMatteo Ruggeri
LCBPau TorresTyrone Mings
RCBVictor LindelöfModou Kéba Cissé
RBMatty CashAaron Wan-Bissaka
GKZion SuzukiMarco Bizot
Goretzka starts in the pivot beside Kamara: signed on August 27th precisely to cover Onana's injury and Gomes's suspension, both live. Jackson leads the line, Suzuki and Garnacho start on standing rather than the Brighton sheet. Maatsen ahead of Ruggeri, Cash ahead of Wan-Bissaka.
Bogarde is the pivot cover while Gomes serves his ban and Manzambi finishes his recovery. McGinn covers the right, Barkley the 10, Mings and Cissé the centre-backs. Bizot backs up Suzuki, Ruggeri covers Maatsen, Wan-Bissaka covers Cash, Hemmings covers Garnacho.
Potential Best XI — 4-2-3-1
STNicolas JacksonBrian Madjo
LWAlejandro GarnachoGeorge Hemmings
AMJohan ManzambiEmiliano Buendía
RWIbrahim MbayeAlysson
LDMBoubacar KamaraJohn McGinn
RDMJoão GomesLeon Goretzka
LBIan MaatsenMatteo Ruggeri
LCBPau TorresTyrone Mings
RCBTaylor Harwood-BellisVictor Lindelöf
RBMatty CashAaron Wan-Bissaka
GKZion SuzukiMarco Bizot
Manzambi at 10, Rogers's replacement (Athletic, July 22nd); Kamara screens beside Gomes; Mbaye (98%) the fast winger that plan wanted. Buendía covers 10. Harwood-Bellis (95%) applied at RCB — £30m agreed, medical scheduled — displacing Lindelöf. Short-term absences don't exclude; Onana's does.
Goretzka and McGinn are the pivot cover, Buendía the 10-cover behind Manzambi. Alysson covers Mbaye on the right, Hemmings covers Garnacho, Lindelöf drops to backup at centre-back alongside Mings, and Bizot backs up Suzuki, Ruggeri covers Maatsen, Wan-Bissaka covers Cash.
This Window
Completed moves only — deals in progress live on the rumor board until they're official.
- IN Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea — £47.5m (+£17.5m add-ons) (August 28th)
- IN Leon Goretzka from Free agent (ex-Bayern Munich) — Free (August 27th)
- IN Aaron Wan-Bissaka from West Ham United — loan (~£18m obligation) (August 21st)
- IN Zion Suzuki from Parma — €30m (+€5m add-ons) (August 19th)
- IN Matteo Ruggeri from Atlético Madrid — €25m (+€1.5m add-ons) (August 19th)
- IN Johan Manzambi from SC Freiburg — £59.5m (July 17th)
- IN Modou Kéba Cissé from LASK — ~£4m (July 14th)
- IN João Gomes from Wolverhampton Wanderers — £38m (July 20th)
- IN Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea — loan (~£42.5m obligation) (July 23rd)
- OUT Ollie Watkins to Al-Hilal — permanent transfer (£51m) (August 30th)
- OUT Emiliano Martínez to Chelsea — permanent transfer (£7.5m) (August 30th)
- OUT Ezri Konsa to Arsenal — permanent transfer (£51m fixed + up to £4m add-ons) (August 21st)
- OUT Kosta Nedeljković to Rangers — season-long loan with a £4m appearance-triggered obligation to buy (August 19th)
- OUT Samuel Iling-Junior to Bolton Wanderers — season-long loan (August 14th)
- OUT Evann Guessand to Crystal Palace — season-long loan with a conditional obligation to buy (August 12th)
- OUT Lucas Digne to Paris Saint-Germain — permanent transfer (release clause, ~£8m) (August 9th)
- OUT Joe Gauci to Lincoln City — season loan (July 28th)
- OUT Morgan Rogers to Chelsea — transfer (British-record £117m fixed fee) (July 21st)
- OUT Andrés García to Getafe — season loan (July 16th)
- OUT Oliwier Zych to Vitória Guimarães — season loan (July 15th)
- OUT Lewis Dobbin to Southampton — permanent transfer (~£9m + add-ons) (July 15th)
- OUT Youri Tielemans to Manchester United — transfer (£35m release clause) (July 14th)
- OUT Sil Swinkels to Sheffield Wednesday — permanent transfer (undisclosed fee; Villa retain matching rights) (July 2nd)
- OUT Enzo Barrenechea to Benfica — transfer (July 1st)
- OUT Donyell Malen to Roma — loan obligation-to-buy (€25m) (June 30th)
- OUT Jadon Sancho to Manchester United — loan ended — returned to parent club (June 30th)
- OUT Douglas Luiz to Juventus — loan ended — returned to parent club (June 30th)
- OUT Harvey Elliott to Liverpool — loan ended — returned to parent club (June 30th)
- BACK Evann Guessand returned from loan at Crystal Palace (June 30th)
- BACK Samuel Iling-Junior returned from loan at Pisa (June 30th)
- BACK Kosta Nedeljković returned from loan at RB Leipzig (June 30th)
- BACK Joe Gauci returned from loan at Port Vale (June 30th)
- U21 Sam Proctor to Shrewsbury Town — season loan (July 17th)
- U21 Yeimar Mosquera to Vitória Guimarães — permanent transfer (undisclosed fee; Villa retain a sell-on percentage) (July 16th)
- U21 Louie Barry to Sheffield Wednesday — permanent transfer (four-year deal, undisclosed fee) (July 9th)
- U21 Kadan Young to Annecy — season loan (July 8th)
- U21 Zepiqueno Redmond to Annecy — season loan (July 7th)
Availability
| Player | Status | Issue | Expected return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Madjo | OUT | Injury sustained in the build-up to the season; the club have not published a diagnosis | Emery described it on August 23rd as “a small injury” and said Madjo “may need some days more” before returning to training with the group — a softer read than the “at least September” estimate reported around August 14th, though still with no exact date attached. |
| Tammy Abraham | DOUBTFUL | Sustained in the 54th minute of the friendly at Borussia Monchengladbach on August 15th; no diagnosis published | Emery said on August 23rd that Abraham “has a small injury and he is going to join us again” — the first club-side characterisation of the issue since he was withdrawn from the friendly at Borussia Mönchengladbach on August 15th, though still with no exact return date. |
| Amadou Onana | OUT | ACL rupture, right knee (World Cup, July 7th) — surgery July 21st | April 2027 (nine-month timeline) |
| Johan Manzambi | OUT | Knee injury sustained during Switzerland's World Cup campaign | Emery said post-match on August 23rd that Manzambi needs “maybe two weeks more” of work before rejoining the group, more or less — pointing to early September without giving an exact date. |
| Leon Bailey | DOUBTFUL | Muscle tightness - withdrawn after 23 minutes of the friendly at Porto on July 25th | No club timeline has ever been published and the muscle problem was never graded. His absence has been about the transfer throughout. Hull City's manager declared the move off on August 12th, but his representative Craig Butler said a day later that negotiations with several clubs are still running, so his availability remains tied to the window rather than to fitness. |
Academy Watch
The youth players closest to the first team — senior minutes, matchday squads, or moves brewing. Not the full academy: the names that matter for the season ahead.
| Player | Position | Age | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Lynch | Right Winger | 19 | Goals in back-to-back senior preseason friendlies — Walsall on July 21st and a start plus the equalizer at Porto on July 25th. Signed from West Brom in 2022. Transfermarkt lists him as a right winger in the 26/27 U21 squad, and his pre-season usage has been advanced rather than defensive: he played the No. 10 at Porto and set up Brian Madjo's goal in Jakarta on August 1st. |
| Bradley Burrowes | Right Winger | 18 | NOW EXPECTED OUT ON LOAN AT WIGAN ATHLETIC. Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic reported on August 30th that Burrowes is expected to join Wigan Athletic on loan, with the agreement not yet finalised but expected to develop within 24 hours; he has been with the senior side throughout pre-season but is available to leave. That names a destination for the first time, following Football Insider's August 29th report that Villa had given the green light to a temporary departure with Championship and League One clubs preparing offers; the club retain no intention of losing him permanently and view a loan as the next development step rather than any change of regard, having signed him to a new contract in March. He remains an unused substitute for the UEFA Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and was in the squad for the Premier League loss at Brighton, with 18 goals and five assists in 23 academy appearances last season underlining the case for regular senior minutes elsewhere. |
| Jamaldeen Jimoh | Attacking Midfield | 19 | 3 first-team appearances (45 minutes) in 2025-26; long rated among the academy's top prospects Did not travel for the Far East tour: Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic reported on August 1st that Jimoh has stayed in England to explore options elsewhere. Started for the Villa XI at Shrewsbury on August 1st and was denied by Sam Proctor after driving into the penalty area. |
| Ben Broggio | Left Winger | 19 | CONFIRMED: joined Stevenage (League One) on a season-long loan for 2026-27, announced by the club on August 30th and corroborated by BBC Sport — Stevenage's seventh signing of the summer, beating other EFL competition for his signature. Came off the bench in the 23rd minute at Porto on July 25th and again on 70 minutes against Real Sociedad on July 28th, and started for the Villa XI at Shrewsbury on August 1st, scoring the 54th-minute equaliser in a 3-2 defeat. Spent the second half of 2025-26 on loan at Falkirk, scoring three in eight Scottish Premiership appearances. |
| Aidan Borland | Midfielder | 19 | First-team matchday squads in 2025-26; Scotland youth international Scored in the 5-0 pre-season friendly win at Walsall on July 21st. Did not travel for the Far East tour: Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic reported on August 1st that Borland has stayed in England to explore options elsewhere. Started for the Villa XI at Shrewsbury on August 1st in the 3-2 defeat. |
| James Wright | Goalkeeper | 21 | Played the full second half in goal at Porto on July 25th and again against Real Sociedad on July 28th, coming on at half-time; he could do nothing about the deflected free-kick that made it 1-2 but spilled a cross late on to concede a fourth. Back from a 2024-25 loan at Real Union. |
| Rodrigo Fortes | Left-back | 18 | Senior preseason minutes at Porto on July 25th; Portuguese left-back from the treble-winning 2024-25 U18 side, first professional deal signed November 2024. Started for the Villa XI at Shrewsbury on August 1st. |
| Triston Rowe | Right-Back | 19 | NOW A LOAN AWAY FROM CONFIRMED. Rowe travelled to Belgium on August 30th to finalise a season-long loan to Royal Charleroi Sporting Club, Jacob Tanswell reported for The Athletic, with a medical to follow if things go as planned; the earlier interest from Stoke City and Brest did not advance to a formal approach. Pete O'Rourke reported for Football Insider on August 11th that Villa want a buy-back option written into any deal. Before this, he travelled with the senior squad to the Super Cup in Salzburg (not registered with UEFA, so experience rather than availability) and started a senior friendly at left-back against BG Pathum United on August 4th; Transfermarkt classifies him as a right-back. |
| Travis Patterson | Left-Back | 20 | First-team matchday squads in 2025-26. Back at Villa Park after the FC Annecy loan expired on June 30th, and with Samuel Iling-Junior loaned to Bolton Wanderers on August 14th he is the only other specialist left-back at the club behind Ian Maatsen. Transfermarkt still files him with the U21, squad number 55, no contract expiry published. |
| Mohamed Koné | Midfielder | 18 | First-team matchday squads in 2025-26, senior debut awaited. Jacob Tanswell reported in The Athletic's Transfer DealSheet on June 23rd that Kone will spend the whole of 2026-27 on loan at Ligue 2 side FC Annecy, alongside Kadan Young and Zepiqueno Redmond, through the V Sports multi-club partnership; V Sports hold a 30% stake in the French club, which has already taken Triston Rowe and Travis Patterson on loan. Consistent with that, he no longer appears on the Transfermarkt U21 squad list read in the August 3rd audit. He was a regular for the U21s last season, making 21 appearances and scoring twice. |
| Kadan Young | Winger | 19 | CONFIRMED: joined FC Annecy (Ligue 2) on a season-long loan for 2026-27, announced by Villa on July 8th 2026 alongside Mohamed Koné and Zepiqueno Redmond. Secured a loan move for 2026-27, per Read Aston Villa's July 21st window round-up; Read Aston Villa reported on June 23rd that Villa were preparing to send him to Ligue 2 side Annecy alongside Mohamed Kone and Zepiqueno Redmond. Made 1 first-team appearance in 2025-26 and spent the second half of the season on loan at Reading. |
| Sam Proctor | Goalkeeper | 19 | Joined Shrewsbury Town on a season-long loan (League One) for 2026-27, per Express & Star (July 17th). The agreement also committed the clubs to a pre-season friendly: an Aston Villa XI travel to the Croud Meadow on August 1st. Started against his parent club at the Croud Meadow on August 1st and won 3-2: he was caught out by Will Boyle's backpass for Villa's own goal but denied Jamaldeen Jimoh with his feet in the first half and blocked from Samuel Iling-Junior in the second. |
| Rory Wilson | Forward | 20 | In talks to join Norwegian side HamKam on loan until mid-December, per Villa News (July 19th); spent the second half of 2025-26 on loan at Sturm Graz Started for the Villa XI at Shrewsbury on August 1st. Sky Sports News' Anthony Joseph reported on July 22nd that those talks had stalled, with the clubs unable to agree the conditions of the loan. The Daily Record reported on August 10th that the Swedish club Sirius are among those looking at him as they replace Robbie Ure, who has joined Sevilla, with IFK Gothenburg also interested and further options in England and Spain. Sky Sports News' Anthony Joseph reported on August 15th that Halmstad BK, bottom of the Allsvenskan, have expressed an interest in taking him on loan, and that Wilson is believed to have other options in Sweden and elsewhere, with a number of clubs in the EFL and across Europe monitoring him. |
| Tommi O'Reilly | Midfielder | 22 | Sealed a season-long loan to Doncaster Rovers, BirminghamLive (via BBC Sport's gossip column and Football Insider) reported on August 26th, after a list of EFL clubs including Notts County chased his signature; he goes straight into Rovers' squad to face Stevenage this weekend. He scored seven and assisted 13 in 50 games on loan at Crewe Alexandra in 2025-26, and started for the Villa XI at Shrewsbury, his former loan club, on August 1st. |
| Kane Taylor | Midfielder | 21 | Joined Rochdale on loan until January, confirmed August 21st (BBC Sport, via Yahoo Sports). Dale boss Ian Watson said the club were delighted to get him in, citing the athleticism and quality he brings alongside his League Two experience. Sheffield Wednesday had made their interest known in late July, per The72 and the Sheffield Star, but Rochdale is where the move landed. Birmingham-born, he began in Villa's academy, spent five years at Manchester City and returned in 2024; spent the second half of 2025-26 on loan at Oldham Athletic. Started for the Villa XI at Shrewsbury on August 1st. |
| Josh Feeney | Defender | 21 | NOW EXPECTED OUT ON LOAN AT PETERBOROUGH UNITED. Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic reported on August 30th that Feeney is set to join Peterborough United on a season-long loan, with the deal not yet finalised but expected to complete shortly. The Scotland-eligible centre-back has spent the previous three seasons out on loan, at Real Union, Shrewsbury Town and Huddersfield Town. |
| TJ Carroll | Centre-back | 19 | STARTED A SENIOR FRIENDLY AT CENTRE-BACK. Theodore 'TJ' Carroll wore 71 alongside Victor Lindelof against BG Pathum United at the True BG Stadium on August 4th and stayed on after the interval when Pau Torres replaced Lindelof, completing the ninety. He had also been among the substitutes at Porto on July 25th. Converted from midfield to centre-back with the Under-18s, he was part of the side that won the FA Youth Cup and the Under-18 Premier League National Final. FotMob's line-up supplies the first name; the published senior team sheet had given him by surname only. |