Aston Villa fans stunned after hearing who Monchi wanted to sign as Emiliano Martinez’s replacement

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Aston Villa’s poor start to the season has resulted in a departure, but it’s Monchi leaving Villa Park, rather than Unai Emery.

Aston Villa narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification last season, but the top four is a distant dream right now.

Villa have managed to score just one goal in the first five games of the Premier League season, claiming just three points.

Sunday’s 1-1 draw against 10-man Sunderland was a huge disappointment, and sporting director Monchi will now leave Villa.

• READ MORE: Roberto Olabe has already hinted at the bold transfer strategy he’ll adopt at Aston Villa

Aston Villa stunned by Monchi’s transfer plan

Monchi leaves with a mixed record in the transfer market.

2024 signings Lewis Dobbin, Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea are all away on loan, while Jaden Philogene was quickly sold to Ipswich Town.

Donyell Malen hasn’t nailed down a starting spot since his January move from Borussia Dortmund, while Evann Guessand has endured a slow start.

Villa may feel that a new man can bring new ideas, and Roberto Olabe is set to replace Monchi at Villa Park.

Details are now emerging about Monchi’s final transfer window at Villa Park, with The Athletic claiming that the Spaniard had lined up a deal to sign Mark Flekken.

Villa believed Emiliano Martinez would leave the club, and Monchi held talks to snap up Flekken from Brentford.

Martinez ended up staying, and Dutch stopper Flekken joined Bayer Leverkusen as Villa missed out.

Villa fans have given strong reactions to that news, admitting their relief that a deal for Flekken ultimately collapsed.

Some believe that Villa have ‘seriously dodged a bullet’ by not signing Flekken, with many feeling that he would have been a ‘humongous downgrade’.

Others simply laughed after hearing that Villa wanted to sign Flekken, and hope Villa never, ever return to the idea of signing him.

Here are some of the reactions from Villa fans on X after hearing of the interest in Flekken…

• I forgive Emi completely now, oh my word
• Thank God Emi stayed… that would have been one humongous downgrade.
• I hope Monchi leaving means we will never, ever be returning to that idea… ever.
• Seriously dodged a bullet there.
• Mark Flekken. This is the downward trajectory we’re on at the moment.
• Emi to Flekken would probably have been the biggest downgrade in the history of this club.
• And that right there sums up Monchi’s recruitment. Some can say it’s good, but if that was the option on the board for Emery, that is awful.
• Wow, that’s not who I expected at all. Think fans would have been outraged had that come to pass
• I read Flekken and burst out laughing. Some DEFENDED the recruitment!
• If we had signed Flekken, I would have supported Solihull Moors for a season.
• If we’d replaced Martinez with Flekken, my head would have exploded.

Mark Flekken in shaky form for Bayer Leverkusen

Martinez received interest from Manchester United before the transfer deadline, but Villa have welcomed him back into their starting XI.

As for Flekken, he joined Bayer Leverkusen over the summer and joined forces with fellow Dutchman and SEG client Erik ten Hag in the process.

The move hasn’t exactly gone to plan, starting with Ten Hag being axed by Leverkusen after just two Bundesliga games.

Flekken has now played four times in the Bundesliga for Leverkusen, but is still waiting for his first league clean sheet of the season.

Flekken has conceded seven goals in his four Bundesliga games for Leverkusen, as well as conceding twice at Copenhagen in the Champions League last week.

The former Freiburg stopper has yet to hit top form upon his return to Germany, but he will hope to settle in as the season continues.