Unai Emery has made signing a specialist right winger a summer priority as Aston Villa enter a pivotal transfer window; with Jadon Sancho gone and Leon Bailey set to depart, Villa’s wide options are thin. The club are weighing six targets — Ibrahim Mbaye, Harvey Barnes, Crysencio Summerville, Jonathan Rowe, Karim Adeyemi and Matias Fernandez-Pardo — each offering a different mix of pace, creativity and cost to plug a glaring tactical gap.
Villa’s summer priority: recruit a genuine right winger
Aston Villa head into the transfer window short on natural wide players. Morgan Rogers, Emi Buendia and John McGinn can operate out wide but none are true wingers; that limits Emery’s tactical flexibility and reduces consistent attacking width.
With Leon Bailey likely to leave and Jadon Sancho not staying on, bringing in a specialist wide forward is not optional — it’s essential.
Why this signing matters
A true winger would restore balance to Emery’s front line, stretch opposition defences and create recurring 1v1 opportunities for Villa’s creative midfielders. The right profile combines pace, end product and the discipline to track back in Emery’s structured system. Without it, Villa risk predictability and fewer chances from wide overloads — a decisive drawback if they aim to push for European football again.
Targets under consideration
Ibrahim Mbaye — Paris Saint‑Germain
Mbaye combines elite club pedigree with explosive moments: he started sparingly last season but showed his finishing when called upon, including a late impact at the World Cup. He offers directness, experience in big-game environments and adaptability on either flank. The downside is limited recent minutes at PSG, which could deter or depress price — but it also means Villa might land a high-upside option for rotation and knockout competitions.
Harvey Barnes — Newcastle United
Barnes presents a pragmatic option: Premier League–tested, proven end product and relatively affordable compared with continental targets. Newcastle’s need for wide reinforcements complicates matters, but Barnes’ known quality and two years left on his contract make him a realistic, lower-risk upgrade who would slot straight into the starting XI.
Crysencio Summerville — West Ham United
Summerville has emerged as a consistent contributor and would arrive with momentum after a productive campaign. At 24, he combines an eye for goal with work-rate. Relegation-linked movements and a reported £40m valuation position him as a premium domestic target — a substantive investment that would add immediate Premier League experience and a goal threat from the flank.
Jonathan Rowe — Bologna
Rowe is already on Villa’s scouting map after causing problems during last season’s Europa League tie. He blends trickery and pace, excels at creating overloads and has European experience. Rowe fits the younger, high-upside profile: less proven in the transfer market but potentially a shrewd pick if Villa want a dynamic, long‑term wide option.
Karim Adeyemi — Borussia Dortmund
Adeyemi brings the one ingredient Villa lack most: genuine top-end speed. With just a year remaining on his contract, he’s attractively available relative to his output. He scored across Bundesliga and Champions League fixtures, showing he can perform at high levels. The question is whether Villa can outcompete other suitors and whether Adeyemi’s profile complements Emery’s tactical demands beyond raw pace.
Matias Fernandez‑Pardo — Lille
Fernandez‑Pardo is the youngest of the group and offers a balanced statistical season: goals and assists across Ligue 1, plus experience against Villa last term. He ticks the box for long-term recruitment — technically sound, versatile and on a longer contract at Lille — but would require adjustment time to the Premier League’s physical and tactical intensity.
How each target fits Emery’s system
Emery favors wingers who can both invert to combine with midfielders and stretch play on the outside. Players like Adeyemi and Mbaye supply vertical pace to hit behind defences; Barnes and Summerville provide proven Premier League end product; Rowe and Fernandez‑Pardo offer developmental upside with tactical adaptability. Villa will need to balance immediate impact with potential resale value and wage structure.
Practical hurdles and next steps
Squad departures (Bailey, Sancho) will free wages and roster space but also create urgency to replace minutes. Transfer fee appetite, competition from other clubs and players’ contract statuses will determine the likelihood of each move. Villa must act early to secure targets who are both affordable and aligned with Emery’s tactical blueprint.
Conclusion — what this window could decide
This summer’s wing recruitment will shape Aston Villa’s attacking identity for the near future. A smart, well‑timed signing can restore width, diversify goal sources and make Emery’s side less predictable; a missed opportunity would leave them dependent on makeshift wide options and risk stagnating offensive output.
Arsenal emerge favourites for Morgan Rogers as Villa demand over £90m, Man United in pursuit
Expect Villa to prioritize a blend of pace, Premier League readiness and tactical discipline when choosing their primary target.
Birmingham Live
