Aston Villa’s best starting XI as transfer window slams shut, Sancho and £35m man in as Martinez decision made

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Aston Villa have emerged as the surprise package on deadline day after a somewhat uneventful summer in the transfer market.

Evann Guessand arrived at Villa Park in a £26 million move from Nice at the beginning of August, and at one stage looked like the only piece of major business that Aston Villa would conduct this summer.

The Villans have been forced to stay within their means regarding the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules for the second consecutive year.

With this in mind, Jacob Ramsey completed a £42m move to Newcastle United in what many have perceived as a deal purely to balance the books at Villa Park.

However, Unai Emery has welcomed three new faces in the West Midlands on deadline day, and here is what Aston Villa’s strongest starting line-up could look like with all business concluded.

Strongest Aston Villa XI after deadline day

Goalkeeper: Reportedly, Emiliano Martínez wanted to join Manchester United and was excluded from the matchday squad to face Crystal Palace amid speculation about his future.

The Argentine did not secure his move to Old Trafford as Man United pursued alternative targets, and although he faces an uphill battle to regain Emery’s trust, he remains the best goalkeeper at the club.

Defence: Matty Cash and Lucas Digne will line up on either side of the defence; the pair have long since been the strongest performers in the full-back positions at Villa Park.

Ezri Konsa would edge out Pau Torres in the central defensive pairing – the Englishman has started all three of Villa’s Premier League fixtures heading into the international break.

However, Villa confirmed the free agent signing of ex-Man United man Victor Lindelof – the Swede arrives with considerable top-flight and European experience, and does narrowly make it into the line-up.

Midfield: Boubacar Kamara sustained a hamstring injury in the 1-0 loss against Brentford, but even when the Frenchman returns to fitness, he would miss out on the strongest line-up with Youri Tielemans slotting into the midfield.

Tielemans was the only standout performer in the 3-0 loss against Crystal Palace last time out, and he ideally would line up alongside Amadou Onana at the base of the midfield three.

He would make way for new signing Harvey Elliott. TBR Football reported that Aston Villa sold the midfielder on their project on deadline day as they struck a loan agreement with an obligatory £35m purchase clause with Liverpool.

Forwards: Villa supporters will be undoubtedly pleased to see that Morgan Rogers remained at Villa Park – Rogers was on Tottenham’s radar heading towards the deadline. He will, of course, be named in the strongest line-up, but he will operate on the left flank with Elliott slotting in behind the striker.

The striker will undoubtedly be Ollie Watkins, the 29-year-old who was constantly linked to Premier League rivals throughout the summer, will lead the line for the Villans.

Finally, Jadon Sancho agreed to move to Villa Park on loan until the end of the season after rejecting multiple offers to leave Man United throughout the transfer window. The 24-year-old will be tipped to replicate Marcus Rashford’s impact in the West Midlands, and the forward will complete the strongest Aston Villa line-up.