New shirt sponsor and bumper transfer updates: Aston Villa news weekly digest
Villa supporters have been dealt a miserable hand in the transfer market and that's not even the worst news of the week
There’s no denying it. This has been a difficult week to be an Aston Villa supporter and the bad news seems to have arrived one kick in the sack after another.
Villa have lost a player they didn’t want to sell and gained a front-of-shirt sponsor they really should have ignored. There are more departures in the works and getting ready for 2026/27 suddenly looks like a mammoth task for Unai Emery and the football department.
Here’s everything that’s been happening in the world of Aston Villa.
England players at the World Cup
And then there was one.
Lucas Digne and France went out of the World Cup at the semi-final stage on Tuesday. England trio Ezri Konsa, Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins went the same way on Wednesday.
Emiliano Martínez is the last man standing as Argentina take on Spain in the final on Sunday. I could say I wish him luck. It would be a lie.
Villa transfer news
↔️ You already know this, but Villa are close to signing Johan Manzambi from Freiburg, João Gomes from Wolverhampton Wanderers and João Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich – we’ll discuss all of those when they’re confirmed.
👋🏻 Villa have sold midfielder Youri Tielemans to Manchester United, who met his £35 million release clause (BBC Sport)
👋🏻 Lewis Dobbin has also departed, joining Southampton for a reported fee in the £9 million range (AVFC)
👋🏻 Andrés García has joined Getafe on loan for the 2026/27 season (AVFC)
⛔ Damian Vidagany, Villa’s Director of Football Operations, has outlined Villa’s robust opposition to selling goalkeeper Martínez this summer (BirminghamLive)
↔️ Fenerbahçe want Watkins, which is very funny (Express & Star)
✍🏻 Former Everton goalkeeper Emily Ramsey has signed for Aston Villa Women (AVFC)
Club updates
💰 Amnesty International ‘warned’ Villa over sportswashing after the Visit Rwanda deal was announced (BBC Sport)
8️⃣ Boubacar Kamara has inherited the number 8 shirt from Tielemans (AVFC)
Everything else that’s fit to click
👋🏻 Inside Youri Tielemans’ Man United transfer: Why Villa had release clause, Ederson issue, Emery call (The Athletic)
⚽ Lionel Messi, mum and me (The i Paper)
⚽ Thomas Tuchel deserves to be sacked for his cowardice (The i Paper)
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