Aston Villa have enjoyed an incredible rise under Unai Emery's management. Since he took the reins in October 2022, they have twice qualified for the Champions League and have lifted the Europa League final after beating Freiburg in last year's final.

The Midlands side are riding the crest of a wave, but it hasn't been smooth sailing since the football curtailed, with injury issues and player sales threatening this project while at its highest point.

At the end of 2025/26, Aston Villa lifted the Europa League. They ended a 30-year drought and secured passage in to the Champions League - well, they would have, had they failed to qualify for Europe's premium club through a top-five Premier League finish. They came fourth.

But football is cruel, and Emery and co find themselves up against it this summer.

How Aston Villa are navigating a tough transfer window

Under Emery's wing, Aston Villa have been nothing if not resourceful, and the £116m sale of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea could stand as a testament to that.

Rogers established himself as a superstar at Villa Park, but Chelsea's nine-digit offer was irresistable. However, Emery will be acutely aware that Chelsea, without Europe, have been strengthened at his expense - even after finishing fourth and winning European gold.

Across two-and-a-half years at Villa Park, Rogers, 23. Not bad for an £8m flop from Championship side Middlesbrough, as some suggested after that low-key signing.

The fact that Alejandro Garnacho's arrival comes in the form of a loan deal perhaps makes a cynical comment on the financial disparity between certain Premier League outfits.

Garnacho could end up a shrewd addition to the Villan project, but he only scored once for the struggling Blues last season, and whether he will strike that crucial connection with striker Ollie Watkins remains to be seen.

Aston Villa set to bid for Watkins' new Rogers

Garnacho alone won't fill the hole left by Chelsea-bound Rogers, and with Leon Bailey also anticipated to leave Emery's squad before the end of the transfer window, it's crucial that further reinforcements are brought in.

According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, Aston Villa have set their sights on Sporting CP winger Geny Catamo, whose dream is understood to play in the Premier League.

Sporting are braced for offers, with Fulham also keen, and have tentatively priced the 25-year-old at €40m (£34m). Whether Villa push forward with a possible move remains to be seen, but if Bailey does depart, this feels like a banker for Emery's side.

Catamo is no spring chicken, and would be expected to make an instant impact in the Premier League. He is a physical and fearless winger, capable of sumptuous finishes and dazzling with quick feet.

He is not Rogers, but he doesn't stray too far from the playing style the England man has set over the past several years with Emery. In that, he is worth pursuing.

Hailed as "the king of Lisbon" and an "incredible" winger by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Catamo is a robust and combative winger, someone who could replace Rogers' presence down the wing (albeit the right flan instead of the left) and provide Watkins with the connection that he would otherwise miss in the Premier League next season.

A strong dueller and tenacious runner, Catamo is ready for the next step after 137 games with Sporting, winning titles, scoring 21 goals and supplying 15 assists.

The fact that Sporting are braced for offers suggests Villa could pull this one off, that they would acquiesce to the right offer presented their way.

Catamo would be a welcome addition on the right wing, bringing pace and power and a Rogers-esque swagger that would maintain the attacking fluency that has worked so well for Watkins and his former teammate over the past few years.