Credit: Imago

Harri Burton

Mon 28 April 2025 20:45, UK

Unai Emery could find himself with no recognised strikers to call upon at Aston Villa once the 2025/26 campaign rolls around without some important evasive action.

In what looked set to be an incredibly successful campaign at Villa Park, the Villans have been knocked out of both the Champions League and FA Cup, and put at risk of missing out on a top-five finish in the past fortnight.

Emery’s side had lost just one of their last 11 matches across all competitions, but that was until back-to-back defeats to Man City and Crystal Palace, and now confidence is at a new low.

Villa have now drifted three points outside of the Champions League qualification spots, with a set of tough remaining matches against Fulham, Bournemouth, Tottenham, and Man United.

And that is not the only damaging news emerging out of Villa Park.

Marcus Rashford blow emerges at Aston Villa

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein (28 April), loanee Marcus Rashford, who has made quite the splash at Villa, is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season with a new hamstring issue, after he was suddenly absent for the FA Cup semi-final defeat at Wembley.

Getting onto the pitch in Villa colours again has not been completely ruled out, but with tests ongoing, it seems highly unlikely that he will add to his four goals and five assists since arriving in February.

This however, may be key news for an unhappy Ollie Watkins at Villa, who has increasingly been snubbed by Emery for the Man United man, despite still recording 29 goal contributions during a subpar campaign by his standards.

Being constantly ignored for the stardom of Rashford has raised questions over his future at Villa Park, but now that the Man United loanee’s spell has come to a sorry end, the Villans need to make amends quickly.

Unai Emery desperate to make amends with Ollie Watkins

While Mick Brown told Football Insider that Villa plan to accept a deal for Watkins, plans could very much change now that Rashford no longer has any more chances to earn a permanent move this summer.

With 86 goals in 221 appearances, even drawing level with Gabby Agbonlahor as Villa’s highest-ever goalscorer in the Premier League, there is no doubt over the striker’s ability.

Arsenal, who are challenging for the league title and trying to lift the Champions League trophy, sent a cheeky bid to Villa Park during the winter transfer window, and fears of a move could appear again.

The centre-forward has expressed his disappointment at being left on the bench already, and with the summer transfer window only around the corner, Emery and the hierarchy desperately need to rebuild connections and fix the relationship.

Villa badly need Watkins’ goals in the final weeks to have any hope of finishing in the Champions League places now that Rashford appears to be out of the picture.

And if the injury blow does end up knocking a permanent move from Old Trafford off the table the England international already permanently on the books becomes that more important to future plans.

If they cannot manage this, it could be a rather costly transfer window ahead for the Villans.