Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are still standing out as a Premier League title challenger in the early days of 2026.
Off the back of Arsenal stumbling to an unconvincing 0-0 draw with Liverpool, Emery’s men remain only seven points off the very peak of the top-flight pile, as fixtures continue to come thick and fast this January.
Still, the Spaniard will know how quickly a team’s fortunes can change in the unpredictable terrain of the Premier League, having started Villa’s season with just one point picked up from their first four league clashes, as the ex-Arsenal boss eyes up some January additions to boost his side’s outside chances of glory.
Villa hopeful of sealing deal for £22m Gallagher alternative
Rumours have already suggested that the Villans could sign off on some statement deals this month.
Indeed, Manchester City attacker Omar Marmoush has been regularly tipped to move to Villa Park to reignite his stuttering Premier League career, having once cost Pep Guardiola’s men a steep £59m to obtain.
Conor Gallagher is also on the Villa shopping list, with a loan-to-buy deal being explored, for a star Emery has long admired.
Gallagher isn’t the notable midfield addition on the radar, however, with reports from Spain now suggesting that the West Midlands giants have set their sights on acquiring World Cup winner Thiago Almada, as he struggles for game time at Atletico Madrid, alongside the Englishman.
It’s stated that Emery has formally requested that Villa go after Almada to enhance their attacking options, with Jacob Ramsey now on the books of Newcastle United as a reserve playmaker.
The report further states that Villa Park is seen as an ideal next destination for the 24-year-old, as he strives to get back into Argentina’s plans for the forthcoming World Cup, with Almada available to sign for a fee around the £22m mark.
Said to be optimistic that a deal can be struck before next month’s early deadline, Emery could soon win this season’s edition of Marco Asensio, with the Spanish midfielder joining the ranks at this stage last year to try and reignite his own situation, to devastating effect.
Why Almada can be this season’s Asensio
Asensio would instantly click in the West Midlands, with the Spaniard lauded as a “special” talent by ex-Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend for what he offered to the Villans, in such a short space of time.
In the end, the 29-year-old’s spell in England would go by in a blur, but it was abundantly clear from his electric displays in Villa claret and blue, how he had managed to have such a decorated career at the very top, with Asensio collecting a sublime eight goals and one assist across just 20 outings.
Unfortunately, despite rumours linking him with a stunning return in the summer, the 38-time Spain international would fail to put pen to paper on a permanent move, as Emery now seeks out another Asensio-style masterstroke of a signing in the short-term services of Almada.
Of course, Almada would be joining for good, but if he were to come in and be an instant spark on the same level as Asensio, the number 11 could suddenly be an in-demand figure for a whole host of clubs, based on his glittering career CV to date.
Much like Asensio, who has gone on to score eight goals on the books of Fenerbahce, Almada has largely been a success wherever he’s been across his well-travelled career to date, with seven goals falling into his lap when lining up for Lyon, immediately after waving goodbye to Atalanta United.
There are positives for Villa to latch onto as well from the 24-year-old’s stop-start beginnings in Spain, with a 22-minute cameo against Sevilla in November seeing Almada collect a goal and assist.
Coincidentally, it would only take Asensio 25 minutes against Brighton and Hove Albion in April to tally up a breakneck goal and assist.
Almada’s career numbers by position
Position
Games
Goals + Assists
AM
142
35 + 32
LW
37
7 + 1
RW
20
5 + 4
LM
13
2 + 2
CF
5
3 + 1
CM
3
2 + 0
SS
1
0
Sourced by Transfermarkt
With a similar ability woven into his game to play as a number ten or as a winger, much like Asensio, it really does feel like a no-brainer move to try and get over the line, with the South American another entertaining and gung-ho attacker Emery can throw into the mix, to keep the title charge going.
For £22m, too, this feels like a steal of a deal, for a star that has rubbed shoulders with the likes of Lionel Messi for his
nation.
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The Villans have got their man.