Internally, PSR remains the leading concern in January. Ordinarily, Villa would spend in most transfer windows, with co-owner Nassef Sawiris publicly expressing his disapproval of PSR limitations.

Aston Villa re-signed Philogene from Hull City in the summer transfer window but the winger has been used sparingly by Unai Emery. Among Philogene’s highlights was a start in the victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, but more often than not he has been a substitute this term.

A Deep DiveAston Villa’s striker Jhon Duran has captured significant attention this season, stepping up as a key player under Unai Emery’s