Despite the departures optimism remains. Last week’s battling Super Cup defeat in Salzbug to Paris St-Germain still showed Villa’s competitiveness and Emery’s powers of adaptability.
Emery has constantly needed to roll with the punches during his three-and-a-half years in charge but he has consistently improved Villa, having taken over when they were 14th following Steven Gerrard’s reign.
In Austria, skipper John McGinn pointed to the fact they still have Emery while others – Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea – have new managers and that Villa’s structure remains intact.
“We have a structure in place, standards and rules which have made us a success. I am really excited about the new Aston Villa,” said McGinn.
That includes Brian Madjo after Villa won their battle with Fifa to register the 17-year-old earlier this month.
The striker scored on his debut against PSG, eight months after initially signing from Metz for £10m, and could prove one of the surprises of the season.
The drive towards younger players comes after Roberto Olabe replaced Monchi last September as president of football operations with a long-to-mid term directive on transfers.
Midfielder Joao Gomes, 25, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, 23 and defender Matteo Ruggeri, 24, have joined this summer after 20-year-old Johan Manzambi became the club’s record buy in July.
They have also had an £18m bid rejected for 24-year-old Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
The loan signing, with an obligation to buy, of Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea allows Villa to spread the cost while Aaron Wan-Bissaka is due to move from West Ham on a similar deal.
“The problem is they may now be at the end of a chain of transfer deals, with the players involved and their transfer targets dependent on other moves happening first,” said the former Villa decision-maker.
Above all, though, Emery remains Villa’s biggest asset and he has overhauled them before. This time it would be one of his biggest achievements.
“There’s a lot of hope and ambition resting with the manager,” said the ex-Villa Park executive.
“He’s the ace card they’ve got left and everybody’s hoping with his experience and knowledge they can pull through.
“It’s a lot of pressure on him and you’ve got to wonder if he’s trying to think ‘maybe I need to go somewhere else with more resources?’
“I don’t think it’ll be this season but, at some stage as a manager, you get fed up juggling all those demands.”
