BirminghamWorld

Aston Villa were active on the incoming and outgoing fronts during the January transfer window

Sign up to our BirminghamWorld Today newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to BirminghamWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Submitting...

Aston Villa lost 1-0 at home to Brentford last time out. They weren’t able to find an equaliser against the Bees at Villa Park and slumped to a disappointing defeat. Unai Emery’s side remain 3rd in the Premier League table after 24 fixtures.

The Midlands outfit are in the top four along with Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United. They will be eager to return to winning ways this weekend. Up next is an away trip to Dorset to play AFC Bournemouth.

Aston Villa wanted Tottenham Hotspur new boy Conor Gallagher in January

Aston Villa wanted to sign Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid during the January transfer window, according to The Athletic. They missed out on his signature to league rivals Tottenham Hotspur though. Spurs forked out £34million to land him from La Liga. Villa were said to have seen the ex-Chelsea man as a decent market opportunity.

Gallagher, 25, could have been seen by Emery as someone to bolster their midfield department. The England international, who has 22 caps under his belt, would have provided more competition and depth to his options in the middle of the park. In addition, he could have injected more quality into his ranks.

The Surrey-born man moved to Spain back in 2024 and went on to play 77 games for Atletico Madrid under the guidance of Diego Simeone. He rose up through the academy at Chelsea and later made 95 appearances for their first-team, finding the net on 10 occasions. Gallagher was also loaned out away from Stamford Bridge at Charlton Athletic, Swansea City, West Brom and Crystal Palace to get some experience and boost his development.

What now for Conor Gallagher amid Aston Villa winter interest?

Aston Villa will be disappointed to have not signed Gallagher. He would have been perfect, especially now with John McGinn, Boubakar Kamara and Youri Tielemans injured. However, it wasn’t to be and he is now catching the eye with his new team Spurs.

After making the switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he said: "I'm so happy and excited to be here, taking the next step in my career at an amazing club. I wanted to be a Spurs player and thankfully the club felt the same. It was very easy, it happened very quickly and I'm ready to get on the pitch. I know how great the fans are, I'm really happy to be a part of it here and want to create special moments and memories together."

Meanwhile, Spurs boss Thomas Frank added: "Conor is a top midfielder, who we have worked tirelessly to add to our squad. He is still young, so has plenty of room for improvement, but also has huge experience across the Premier League, LaLiga and with the England national team.

"Conor has captained teams so will bring leadership, maturity, character and personality to our dressing room, while his running power, pressing ability and eye for goal will strengthen us in a key area of the pitch. I'm excited about working with him every day and I know the fans will love what he will bring to the team."

Unai Emery’s side could be in contention to win the Premier League with a successful transfer window

Sign up to our BirminghamWorld Today newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to BirminghamWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Submitting...

It was impossible to imagine that Aston Villa would be protagonists in the Premier League title race after that nightmarish first month of the season, but now the January transfer window could be pivotal in determining whether Unai Emery can win the second league title of his career.

Villa have only been crowned champions of England once since the First World War but their urgency in the transfer market this winter hasn’t really reflected that, as they’ve made just two signings combining for less than £20 million. Emi Martinez, John McGinn and Ollie Watkins are already in their 30s while Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Matty Cash and Youri Tielemans will enter their fourth decade by the end of 2027 so this could well be The Villans’ best chance in at least generation to win the Premier League.

So there will be a huge temptation to target some marquee signings at least on loan to try and push Arsenal and Manchester City all the way. And with that sentiment in mind, we fired up Football Manager 26 to see what the window could have in store…

Aston Villa’s predicted January transfer window

Oscar - £8m from Slavia Prague - Don’t get too excited - this isn’t the Oscar that lit up the Premier League a decade ago, he’s now playing for Sao Paulo aged 34. Instead, he’s been holding down the midfield for Slavia Prague and Liberia, and aged 27 he wouldn’t do much to inject youth into an aging Aston Villa squad that’s the second-oldest in the Premier League.

He’s primarily a defensive midfielder but would be a useful rotation piece for Boubacar Kamara, Lamare Bogarde and Amadou Onana. But given Aston Villa’s miserly transfer business under Emery, is that really worth splashing out on a depth addition?

Thomas Lemar - £11.5m from Atletico Madrid - Even older than Oscar, Lemar was once linked with a big-money move to Liverpool but opted to stay on the continent and has spent the first half of this season at Girona, on loan from Atletico Madrid. Unlike Oscar, he may well be worth a punt and his versatility is certainly an asset, as he’s able to play on either flank or through the middle.

A World Cup winner with France, Lemar played over 300 games combined for Atletico Madrid and Monaco, though he’s only played 754 minutes in the last three season due to injuries, after he stayed fairly fit throughout the early part of his career. As the season progresses and the games stack up, someone like Lemar would be hugely valuable to Emery, though he’d probably have little sell-on value unless a Saudi club comes in when the Frenchman is into his mid-30s.

Callum Olusesi - £3.3m from Tottenham Hotspur - Finally a youngster, though Olusesi would surely be too inexperienced to contribute to Unai Emery’s side this season. The midfielder has played a solitary minute for Spurs’ senior team and his appearances have been restricted to their Under-21s side this season - Olusesi has also played in England youth teams.

Once again, it’s not really a true impact signing that will have Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola quaking in their boots. However, Aston Villa will need players like Olusesi breaking into the first team over the coming seasons as their elderly squad continues to age.

Malen department a major blow

Donyell Malen - £10.25m to Girona - This would be a dark day for Villa. Second only to Rogers for goals this season at the club and boasting one of the best strike rates in England at a goal every 158 minutes, Malen has been sensational at times after a difficult first few months where he was overshadowed by late loan signings Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.

And it’s players like Malen that Emery will need if his seed go deep in either or both of the FA Cup and Europa League. Though he’s reportedly unhappy at Villa Park, this would also mark a significant eight-figure loss for The Villans that they can ill afford - a catastrophe all round. In real life, of course, he’s just agreed a £25m move to Roma. Better than £10m, at least...

Josh Feeney also departs for Swansea City on loan, with The Swans treading water in the EFL Championship - eight points above the relegation zone and nine below the playoffs. And I-Lani Edwards moves to Chesterfield for a nominal fee.

Aston Villa are pushing to sign a French international this month, according to reports

Sign up to our BirminghamWorld Today newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to BirminghamWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Submitting...

Aston Villa are competing with Tottenham Hotspur for the signature of French defender Pierre Kalulu, according to reports in Italy.

Calciomercato claims the two Premier League sides have placed Kalulu on their radar and have identified him as someone that could help boost their chances of success in the league and Europe in the remaining months of the campaign.

Aston Villa have so far strengthened their group with a move for Brazilian wonderkid Alysson Edward after enticing him to the West Midlands from Gremio while they have also attempted to future proof the centre forward position with a move for teenager Brian Madjo after his rise through the FC Metz academy.

The Villains are actively working on signing a senior striker as well with a move for Tammy Abraham being mooted, while they could still go back in for another central midfielder after missing out on Conor Gallagher to Tottenham.

Unai Emery’s side were very busy last January and still have work to do this time around as well, with defence being another area the Spaniard wants to improve.

Aston Villa linked with Kalulu

Aston Villa are believed to be admirers of Juventus defender Kalulu. The 25-year-old came through the academy at Lyon but has played all of his professional matches in Italy.

He made his debut at AC Milan during the 2020/21 season and formed a big part of the team which lifted the Serie A title the following season to end the club’s 11-year wait for a league title.

Kalulu started out as a right-back at AC Milan but has proven throughout his career that he’s equally comfortable playing as a central defender. He’s only on occasion even acted as a left-back to help his team when they are low on numbers due to injuries.

The defender played a combined total of 112 matches for Milan scoring three times and assisting the same amount before making the move to Juventus in 2024 after an injury-hit final term at the San Siro.

He’s been a regular for Juventus over the last two seasons and has already featured in 70 matches in total. This season in particular has been eye-catching with the defender featuring in 27 matches, mainly as a starter, while contributing a goal and four assists in total.

How much is Kalulu likely to cost?

Calciomercato reports that Kalulu could be available for a figure of around 30 million euro (£26.4m) this month. They insist this figure is certainly affordable for Aston Villa and Tottenham, while Manchester United could also emerge with an offer of their own.

It’s not yet clear if Kalulu is open to leaving Italian football. He’s a regular for Juventus and a part of a team that’s competing in the Champions League and chasing a league title.

However, the opportunity to play in the Premier League could be something that appeals to Kalulu at this stage of his career.

Former Aston Villa star Stan Collymore has given his view on the club’s approach to the January transfer window.

Sign up to our BirminghamWorld Today newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to BirminghamWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Submitting...

Aston Villa should turn their attention to signing a central midfielder this January after missing out on top target Conor Gallagher, former player Stan Collymore believes.

The Villans were in the race to sign Gallagher as they progressed in talks over the weekend to bring the former Chelsea man to B6, however Premier League rivals Spurs hijacked the deal at the last moment. According to widespread and reputable reports, Gallagher was convinced to head to north London by Tottenham boss Thomas Frank.

It’s Gallagher’s loss rather than Villa’s, really, but the 22nd-time England international’s choice to join Spurs instead is still a dent in Unai Emery’s aspirations this month. Gallagher has been a target not only this winter but in several other previous transfer windows, very much on Emery’s radar. Perhaps it's just not meant to be.

After missing out on Gallagher, Emery’s desire is still to add more quality in the centre of the park – if the right deal can be achieved. This is despite already having so many strong options, including Youri Tielemans, Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn, Amadou Onana, Emiliano Buendia, Ross Barkley and Lamare Bogarde.

Collymore: Villa should sign ‘top’ midfielder

Villa have already sealed the signings of promising Brazilian winger Alysson from Gremio and 17-year-old wonderkid striker Brian Madjo from FC Metz for a combined £20 million, but where could they turn next in the transfer market? Should it be in midfield, or elsewhere?

That’s the question we posed to Collymore, who remains highly engaged in Villa’s movements. The 54-year-old former centre-forward, who scored 13 goals in 60 appearances for the Villans between 1997 and 2000, has taken the club’s PSR situation into account but still reckons some handy business is possible, albeit tricky.

“The financial situation at Villa makes a big money deal difficult, it would have to be a loan,” Collymore exclusively admitted to Birmingham World , when asked who exactly Villa should target this month.

“I don’t have a particular name off the top of my head because Conor Gallagher was virtually done and dusted and that’s the type of the deal that would’ve suited the club. They would’ve been able to try him before buying him and maybe bringing him in at the end of the season.

“I think the club should be looking at midfielders from one of the top European leagues who may be out of favour with their current club, who can come in and do a job until the end of the season with an option to buy.

“There’s no names beyond Gallagher, I thought that was a done deal, he’d have been a good signing as he’d have brought legs to the midfield and has a point to prove to get into the England squad for the World Cup – but that’s the type of player they should be looking at to help John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara,” Collymore concluded.

Tottenham Hotspur are in pole position to sign Conor Gallagher despite Aston Villa’s efforts to sign him

Sign up to our BirminghamWorld Today newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to BirminghamWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Submitting...

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to beat Premier League rivals Aston Villa to the signing of England international Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid for a reported figure of around €40 million (£34.7m).

Sky Sports News claim that Gallagher is expected to fly to London later today to complete a medical with Tottenham. which will see him return to the English capital just 18 months after leaving Chelsea in the summer of ,024.

Gallagher, who has 136 matches of Premier League experience across spells with Chelsea, West Brom and Crystal Palace, had looked set to become Aston Villa’s latest signing of the winter window before a sudden twist in the saga.

Why Gallagher has chosen Tottenham ahead of Aston Villa

Fabrizio Romano claimed on X yesterday (12 January) that Aston Villa were on the verge of reaching a club to club agreement with Atletico Madrid over a loan deal, with a buy option for Gallagher that would eventually become mandatory over the summer. TalkSport journalist Alex Crook added at the time that Gallagher was open to the idea of moving to Villa Park to reignite his England career ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

However, three major factors influenced proceedings and allowed Tottenham to hijack the deal, and one of those is thought to be family ties. Gallagher was born in Epsom, Surrey, and is keen to be closer to his family in the area.

In addition, TEAMtalk reports that Tottenham are offering Gallagher greater assurances that he’d play regularly which is something that he’s been struggling with at Atletico under Diego Simeone in recent months. It’s thought that Rodrigo Bentancur’s recent injury, which is likely to keep him out for three months, played a significant role in convincing Thomas Frank to hijack Aston Villa’s move for Gallagher.

Tottenham are under-performing in the Premier League, they are out of both domestic cup competitions, and need a huge boost if they are to catapult themselves to success in the league and Europe.

Atletico were more inclined to sell Gallagher to Tottenham this month

Express Sport claims Tottenham’s desire to sign Gallagher on a permanent basis for an up-front fee gave them a key advantage over Aston Villa, who wanted to sign him on a loan with an option to buy. Gallagher is expected to sign a five-and-half-year deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with personal terms not anticipated to pose any problems.

Aston Villa’s failure to sign Gallagher could leave the club with problems moving forward as Emery grapples with a shortage of midfielders due to injuries to Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley. The West Midlands side are currently third in the table, through to the fourth round of the FA Cup and are expected to advance to the latter stages of the Europa League. Emery may look to strengthen his side’s central options with alternative targets before the window closes in February.

FA Cup third round result, player ratings and report after Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Aston Villa.

Sign up to our BirminghamWorld Today newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to BirminghamWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Submitting...

Aston Villa earned a spot in the FA Cup fourth round with a narrow 2-1 victory away at Tottenham Hotspur, surviving a second-half fightback to mount the pressure on Spurs boss Thomas Frank.

Emiliano Buendia thumped Villa ahead on 22 minutes and turned provider just before half time to tee up Morgan Rogers, who netted his eighth goal of the season to make it 2-0. Spurs responded well after the break as Wilson Odobert halved the deficit with a powerful driven effort, but Xavi Simons was denied a late equaliser by the linesman’s flag.

All hell broke loose after the full-time whistle in a huge melee involving both sets of players. Joao Palhinha appeared to start on Rogers and Lamare Bogarde before teammates sprinted over to join in. That scrap rather summed up a chaotic second half, but Villa were able to dig in to get their name in the hat.

Buendia, the star of the show, scored a great goal to break the deadlock as he blasted home into the roof of the net to beat Guglielmo Vicario at his near post. It was a great reverse pass from Donyell Malen to set up the chance, too, as Villa were able to cut through Spurs like butter in the space of four fizzed passes.

Randal Kolo Muani thought he’d equalised for Spurs approaching the interval, however the Paris Saint-Germain loanee was denied by the linesman’s flag. Xavi did brilliantly to skip away from several Villa challenges and play Kolo Muani through, but the striker timed his run poorly.

Rogers doubled Villa’s lead on the stroke of half time, directing the ball into the bottom left corner to round off another brilliant team goal. Buendia turned provider as he played an effective one-two with Donyell Malen and backheeled cheekily to Rogers, who in his form was never going to miss.

Spurs responded well after the break and quickly halved the deficit through Odobert. Lamare Bogarde was dispossessed too easily by Kolo Muani, who teed up Odobert on the right side of the box. Spurs’ goalscorer then drilled the ball into the far bottom corner.

Xavi was then denied a dramatic equaliser in the 79th minute as he rounded Bizot. Spurs celebrated wildly, but the joy lasted merely a few moments as the linesman flagged for offside. Villa had a good chance to make it 3-1 on the counter-attack late on but Bogarde’s pass to Rogers was a weak one.

Villa, albeit concerned by an injury early on for key midfielder Boubacar Kamara, head back to Birmingham content with the victory – and a spot in the next round.

Goalkeeper and defence ratings

Marco Bizot: Made a host of important saves in the absence of Emiliano Martinez. Bizot denied Odobert and Xavi twice each. That said, he was spared his blushes by the offside flag when he was rounded by Xavi for a disallowed goal. He also punched the ball out a few times when he should have just caught it. 7

Matty Cash (off 78’): Kept Tel relatively quiet and made a host of important tackles to stop Spurs from continuing their comeback in the second half. Looked decent going forward, too, and stung Vicario’s gloves from 25 yards. 7

Ezri Konsa: Saved the day with a few important interceptions and looked comfortable whenever passing out from the back. 7

Pau Torres: Came back into the XI and did well in the first half to help restrict Spurs to hardly any chances. Looked a little lost at the start of the second period as Spurs fought back but made an important block from a stinging Palhinha shot. 7

Ian Maatsen (off 78’): Had a comfortable evening against Odobert, keeping the Spurs winger at bay. Maatsen was alert to make a host of interventions to stop Spurs counters. 7

Midfield and attack ratings

Boubacar Kamara (off 7’): Didn’t have enough time to make an impact as he was taken off early. Kamara painfully clashed knees with Palhinha when skipping past the midfielder and wasn’t able to continue. 6

Lamare Bogarde: Normally does a decent job when rotating into the midfield double pivot but had a difficult evening. Bogarde gave the ball away cheaply ahead of Odobert’s goal and was often fazed by Spurs’ improved energy in the second 45. 5

Emiliano Buendia: Returned to form with a goal and assist in a man-of-the-match display. Buendia fired Villa ahead with an emphatic finish and then assisted Rogers’ strike with a delightful backheel pass. It would have been a 9/10 for Buendia had he not missed a great chance in the second half to make it 3-1. He was also booked for tugging back Archie Gray. 8.5*

Morgan Rogers: Netted Villa’s second goal with a composed finish and zipped a brilliant low delivery across the six-yard box in the first half. Rogers had to do better ahead of Odobert’s goal, however, as dilly-dallied on the edge of his own area. 8

John McGinn (off 65’): Involved in Buendia’s goal as he fed Malen with a zipped forward pass. Used his low centre of gravity to beat Palhinha three or four times with his customary half-turn, rather humiliating the Spurs man. Had a decent shot saved before half time. 7

Donyell Malen (off 65’): Assisted Buendia’s opener with a perfectly weighted pass, reversing beyond the backtracking Spurs defenders. Malen looked a threat early on as he skipped away from a challenge and unleashed a dipping effort from afar. 7

Substitutes ratings

Youri Tielemans (on 9’): Would have appreciated a rest but was called into action when Kamara was injured. Tielemans dictated the tempo for much of the first half and showed off an impressive passing range. He had to do more of the dirty work in the second 45, though, and he ended up picking up a booking for a trip on Xavi. He also got away with one when he went to headbutt Palhinha. 7

Ollie Watkins (on 65’): Held up the ball well when called upon but should have got more power on his shot that was saved by Vicario in stoppage time. 6

Jadon Sancho (on 65’): Was talked up by Emery in his pre-match press conference but flattered to deceive.

Lucas Digne and Andres Garcia (on 79’): Helped see out the win with determined defending. Garcia was booked. 6

The confirmed lineups for Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa in the Emirates FA Cup.

Sign up to our BirminghamWorld Today newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to BirminghamWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Submitting...

Thomas Frank and Unai Emery have named their starting lineups and substitutes for this evening’s FA Cup third round clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Aston Villa have arrived in the capital for the fifth time in the last four weeks, eager to win away at Spurs for the second time this season after winning 2-1 on this ground back in October.

Emery has opted for plenty of rotation tonight, making six changes from Wednesday’s 0-0 Premier League draw away at bogey side Crystal Palace. But it’s still a strong side, with little room for fringe players to make appearances.

The big news is Pau Torres comes into the starting XI as he builds fitness following a calf problem. Tyrone Mings returns from injury to make the bench. New signing Alysson is sadly not among the substitutes. For Spurs, Dominic Solanke returns to the matchday squad for the first time since August 23.

Spurs v Villa lineups

Without further ado, here’s how both teams shape up in full.

Spurs XI: Vicario (GK); Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Davies; Gray, Palhinha; Xavi, Odobert, Richarlison; Tel.

Spurs subs: Kinsky (GK), Dragusin, Udogie, Solanke, Spence, Kolo Muani, Scarlett, Byfield, Williams-Barnett.

Villa XI: Bizot (GK); Cash, Konsa, Pau, Maatsen; Bogarde, Kamara; McGinn, Rogers, Buendia; Malen.

Predicting Unai Emery’s Aston Villa lineup to take on Tottenham Hotspur away in the FA Cup.

Sign up to our BirminghamWorld Today newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to BirminghamWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Submitting...

Aston Villa shift their attention to the Emirates FA Cup this Saturday evening as they take on fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur away in the third round.

The Villans, in London for a fourth time in the last fortnight, will be eager to get back to winning ways following midweek’s frustrating 0-0 draw away at Crystal Palace. Emery was furious after that result, both with his team for their inability to take their chances and the referees for failing to

As much as Wednesday took its toll on Emery emotionally, his focus will have quickly moved to Villa’s next game – and it’s an important one. The Premier League might well remain the priority - and rightfully so - but there’s a feeling that Villa need to win a trophy sooner rather than later. The more competitions they are in, the better.

Aston Villa predicted lineup vs Spurs

Villa are likely to rotate a little in north London, but perhaps not quite to the extent they would if they were facing a lower-league opposition. With that in mind, here’s the starting XI we reckon Emery will name at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

GK - Marco Bizot: Emery tends to give his backup goalkeepers run outs in the cup competitions and Bizot is deserving of the opportunity. Emiliano Martinez could also do with a rest after feeling his ongoing back problem against Palace.

RB - Andres Garcia: Opportunities for the Spaniard have been few and far between, so perhaps Emery will decide to give him a go. Both Matty Cash and Ezri Konsa need to recuperate some energy, so it makes sense.

CB - Victor Lindelof: Getting his career back on track, Lindelof has thrived slightly out of position as a left centre-half. He could have the chance to play on his preferred right foot now Emery has more options available on the opposite side.

CB - Pau Torres: Back on the bench midweek following a spell on the sidelines through injury, Pau could get an hour or so as he builds his way back to full fitness. Tyrone Mings could be back soon, so Pau needs to get up to speed first for his own benefit.

LB - Ian Maatsen: Emery has chopped and changed between Maatsen and Digne this season. It’s basically a coin toss at this point as to who will start each game. In this case, Maatsen may get the nod thanks to his pace.

CDM - Lamare Bogarde: Proving to be a brilliant utility option, Bogarde’s versatility can be tapped into at the base of midfield to give Youri Tielemans and John McGinn a day off.

CDM - Boubacar Kamara: Another who has a chance of being rested, Kamara might end up being benched – but we feel his presence is irreplaceable. Spurs away is far from an easy game and Kamara starting gives Villa a much better chance of winning.

CAM - Emiliano Buendia: If Tielemans and McGinn are on the bench, Buendia is likely to start just in behind the striker. The Argentine was Villa’s surprise package at the start of the campaign after nearly being sold in the summer.

RW - Jadon Sancho: It may be a little bold to start Sancho once again after a lacklustre display at Palace but he needs confidence if he’s going to succeed. A start in the cup offers another opportunity to improve.

LW - Morgan Rogers: Undroppable when available, Rogers is bound to start again. Every time we suggested the England international was rested last season, Emery would keep him in the XI. New signing Alysson, meanwhile, will probably make his debut as a substitute.

ST - Donyell Malen: The Dutchman is likely to rotate in for Ollie Watkins. Malen thrives making runs in behind and Villa could do with his pace against the speedy Micky van de Ven.

Early injury news as Aston Villa prepare to travel to north London in a stand-out FA Cup clash

Sign up to our BirminghamWorld Today newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to BirminghamWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Submitting...

Aston Villa take a break from Premier League action this weekend as Unai Emery’s side travel to top-flight rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday (17:45 GMT).

In an encounter which is no doubt one of the games to look out for on third round weekend, the top-four chasing Villans face struggling Spurs and will hope that the form book sees Emery’s men secure victory and a place in the next round.

The two met in the FA Cup fourth round at Villa Park last season, with the Villans coming out on top 2-1 thanks to goals by Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers. Villa were ultimately defeated in the semi-finals by eventual winners Crystal Palace, having come through subsequent fixtures against Cardiff City and Preston North End. On their last trip to Spurs in October, Emery’s side were victorious by the same score-line as in last year’s cup meeting.

Both sides will be without multiple first-team stars as Villa look to come out on top against the Lilywhites once again.

Tottenham injury news ahead of Aston Villa clash

Tottenham might be without as many as nine players when Villa come to town, amidst a trio of recent injury concerns which have cast a further blow on Thomas Frank’s side.

Influential winger Mohammed Kudus will be out of action until after the March international break, Frank confirmed, after the Ghanaian suffered a quad injury during last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland. He will be joined on the sidelines by Rodrigo Bentancur, who suffered a hamstring issue during Wednesday night’s 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth and is expected also to be out for an extended period.

Lucas Bergvall is a doubt for this weekend’s fixture having picked up a muscle injury last time out, while Destiny Udogie is believed to be close to a return to action after a month on the side-lines. Whether he will be fit for involvement against Villa is also not yet known.

Frank said in his pre-match press conference: “Lucas is being assessed today. We'll know more later today with him. Same with Rodri. Rodri is a hamstring injury, looks like a bigger one. We don't know the extent yet.”

Long-term absentees James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke are expected to remain out, while Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are away at AFCON.

Martinez a doubt as Aston Villa could be without five players for FA Cup tie

Aston Villa may have been dealt a fresh injury blow ahead of Saturday’s fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, after Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was substituted at half-time during the 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in midweek. Marco Bizot replaced the Villa shot-stopper and will step in if Martinez is not passed fit, with his involvement currently a doubt.

Emery said at full-time: "He [Martinez] has a small injury. A small injury. I am not a doctor, but it is in his calf. He played fantastic in the first half, and then Marco Bizot also played fantastic in the second half. Now we will check him with the doctor and hopefully in a few days or weeks he will come back ready to play."

Pau Torres was passed fit for the bench at Palace after six matches out with a calf injury, while Tyrone Mings is believed to be edging closer to fitness and it remains to be seen whether he will be in the squad this weekend. Midfielders Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley are set to miss out again through injury, while Evann Guessand is away representing the Ivory Coast at AFCON.

Aston Villa have the chance to bolster their ranks with the January transfer window open for business

Sign up to our BirminghamWorld Today newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to BirminghamWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Submitting...

Aston Villa are positioned in 3rd place in the Premier League table after 20 fixtures. They are six points behind Arsenal at the summit along with Manchester City. The Midlands outfit won 3-1 at home to Nottingham Forest last time out.

Midfielder John McGinn scored twice at Villa Park against the Reds, whilst striker Ollie Watkins also found the net. They are back in action this evening as they aim to keep their momentum going. Unai Emery’s side face a tricky test against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Aston Villa eye immediate move for Manchester City attacker Omar Marmoush amid recent links

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Manchester City attacker Omar Marmoush. In this latest update, CaughtOffside claim Emery is ‘keen’ on acting immediately this winter to boost his squad, as opposed to waiting until the summer amid reported interest in the forward. Tottenham Hotspur have also been mentioned as a potential suitor.

Marmoush, 26, is under contract at the Etihad Stadium until June 2029. He made the move to England 12 months ago for £59million and scored eight goals in 25 games last season under the guidance of Pep Guardiola. However, he has found the net only once in 15 matches in this campaign altogether.

The Egypt international, who has 43 caps to his name, is now facing an uncertain future in the North West. Prior to his transfer, he caught the eye in the Bundesliga at Eintracht Frankfurt. He has also had spells in the past with the likes of Wolfsburg, FC St. Pauli and Stuttgart in Germany.

Would Omar Marmoush suit Aston Villa?

Aston Villa could see Marmoush as someone to bolster their attacking department. If he joined, he would give them more competition and depth at the top end of the pitch. In addition, he could give Emery something different to call upon.

He has pace and his speed can cause problems to opposition defenders. Marmoush proved last term for City that he knows where the back of the net is. Things haven’t worked out for him over recent times so a change of scene may well do him good.

Guardiola was initially impressed with the player’s impact after he first joined. Speaking last April, he said: “The numbers are really good. He arrived in the middle of the season and in a moment when we are not good. Sometimes when you come when everything is fluid and everything is fine it’s easy to adapt. But coming when the team is not playing good, that is a big credit. When a team likes to get the ball, he makes runs and understands the intensity you have to play.”

Aston Villa are well stocked up with options in attack with the likes of Watkins, Morgan Rogers, Emi Buendia and Evann Guessand, among others. Marmoush would be worth a gamble though and is the sort of individual to get fans off their seats. Spurs are also in the picture though meaning there is some competition for his signature to see off.