After John McGinn, Unai Emery must tie three key Aston Villa stars down to new deals
Unai Emery cannot afford to take his foot off the accelerator when it comes to handing out new contracts at Aston Villa.
John McGinn is in talks over a new deal at Villa Park, having now dedicated seven years of his life to the Villans after joining from Hibernian for just £2.5million.
He is one of the biggest bargains in the club’s history, with the midfielder just three games short of making 300 appearances, in which he has notched 33 goals and 41 assists.
Villa beat Burnley 2-1 before the international break, another game in which he captained the side, and the result took the Villans up to 13th in the Premier League table, far away from the relegation zone.
It was an awful start to the 2025-26 campaign, very few can argue that. However, with the season back on track, those behind the scenes can begin working on new deals for these three players.
Matty Cash
Matty Cash is a divisive figure amongst Villa fans, mainly due to his abilities in the defensive third. But, he continues to prove in flashes that he has what it takes to help lead the club up the rankings.
The Poland international has been key in the final third, notching multiple goal contributions over the last few seasons, and finding a right-back for a bargain fee is not so simple in the transfer market nowadays.
His current deal runs until the summer of 2027, but at 28 years of age, there is no reason why Emery cannot get a few more years of service out of him, especially with a half-decent injury record.
Youri Tielemans
Youri Tielemans is one of the team’s most important players, a point which has only been exacerbated by his recent absence from the squad. His being sidelined was a huge blow last month.
The 28-year-old has less than two years left on his current deal, but with 103 appearances to his name since joining on a free transfer from Leicester City, very few have made similar impacts on the pitch.
With 25 goal contributions, it would be a huge disappointment to see him leave at the end of his contract.
Morgan Rogers
Now, everyone is aware of just how talented Morgan Rogers is. While he may be struggling somewhat this season, it has not stopped Premier League giants from keeping a close eye on him.
He only signed a new deal in November, running until 2030, but if the Villans are to keep their hands on the star player, getting him to sign across the dotted line yet again would improve their hopes significantly.
Signing a new deal would, by no means, guarantee that Rogers will be at Villa Park for the next decade, but it would certainly make it more difficult for other clubs to secure his signature.