Nico Lloyd is looking to the future, in the present.
Aston Villa have had an excellent season. Memorable triumphs over Bayern Munich on their way to the Champions League’s quarter-final stages will never be forgotten, while they’re also firmly on track to achieve back-to-back seasons of European football given their solid domestic showings.
Some impressive mid-season signings certainly strengthened their cause, with Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi providing Villa boss Unai Emery with some much-needed additional options. Andres Garcia and Donyell Malen also arrived on permanent deals, although the loan trio are currently under the microscope given the distinct possibility of snapping them up on a permanent basis.
Squad depth has been key
Before Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford arrived, Paris Saint-Germain’s Marco Asensio and Chelsea’s Axel Disasi joined the Villa cause in search of more regular first team minutes. Aston Villa’s squad was relatively thin. They no longer had Jhon Duran’s moments off the bench to rely on and certain players needed rotating, particularly given the grueling schedule Emery had to contend with.
Bringing in Rashford, Asensio, and Disasi made a lot of sense, with squad depth being a necessity. Rashford was the biggest acquisition of the lot, resulting in many fans backing Villa for a top-six finish after exploring useful resources like bookmaker selection from FIRST.com. Asensio soon followed Rashford through the door at Villa Park, with the 38-capped Spanish international being viewed as a shrewd move.
With Tyrone Mings recovering from a serious injury and Diego Carlos’ departure to Fenerbahce in January, snapping up Chelsea defender Axel Disasi was another clever piece of business. Disasi became Villa’s second arrival on deadline day, following the acquisition of Asensio, reportedly beating Premier League rivals Tottenham to his signature.
Fast forward to today, though, and Unai Emery and the Villa hierarchy will be mulling over potential permanent moves for the on-loan trio. With that in mind, below we assess their various spells with Villa and whether or not the club should invest in their services when the current campaign is over.
Marcus Rashford’s impact has been clear
Marcus Rashford needed to depart Manchester United for pastures new. He’d gone stale at the club. Unai Emery and Villa have seemingly provided the perfect antidote to his disillusionment with life at Old Trafford, with the England international proving to be a vital cog in Aston Villa’s wheel since January.
Rashford will have plenty of options on the table this summer, with a return to United being one of them, but he has evidently enjoyed his time at the club and is clearly feeling the love from the Villa faithful. He has looked reinvigorated wearing the Villa shirt and he has clearly regained his confidence.
Aston Villa have an option to trigger the £40m buy-out clause in Rashford’s contract, but with Financial Fair Play rules to abide by, the Manchester United academy graduate’s £350,000-per-week wages could prove to be a stumbling block.
Barcelona are also reportedly circling, with Rashford’s return of four goals and five assists in 17 appearances showing he’s well and truly back. Should Aston Villa be able to get a deal done, though, then they could do a lot worse than making Marcus Rashford’s move a permanent one.
Marco Asensio has thrived in England
A real coup, securing the loan signing of three-time Champions League winner Marco Asensio from Paris Saint-Germain was a statement addition at the time. Despite his big name, though, there were some doubts as to whether or not the Spaniard would adjust to the English game in time. Those worries soon faded, with Asensio’s quality and all-round versatility helping him get off to a flier.
Villa’s loan agreement for the playmaker will expire following their final Premier League game against Manchester United, with reports suggesting the club are pursuing a permanent deal. Villa’s fans surely won’t be disappointed should a deal be struck, with his eight goals in 20 appearances aiding Villa’s push for Champions League qualification.
Should Unai Emery’s side get the job done and achieve top-level European football for the club once again next season, then having an experienced winner in the shape of Marco Asensio can only benefit them on all fronts.
Axel Disasi hasn’t been as integral
While Axel Disasi wasn’t signed to watch from the sidelines, the move to Villa Park hasn’t resulted in the regular minutes he might’ve craved after making just six Premier League appearances for Chelsea when he signed on the dotted line for Villa.
Disasi can be deployed at either centre-back or in a right-back role, with over 300 appearances to his name. Also capped five times at international level for France, Disasi certainly has good pedigree, but with the wages he’s likely to command, Unai Emery will probably look elsewhere, particularly as he hasn’t looked too convincing at right-back at times.
