Will we qualify for the CL?

[rob_bridge]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7234035/2026/04/28/aston-villa-squad-age-profile-europa-league/?unlocked_article_code=1.eVA.18Hp.yg6DaOj_4NJI&smid=ta-android-share


Is it now or never for this squad?

I think it is. Mings, Digne, Ollie and even possibly McGinn even if retained will play less next season. All loanees will go back (no great loss) and hope Bailey goes too and may need a replacement for Buendia too.

If we lose Rogers for enormo money than the age profile increases further and attacking options would be threadbare.

I am less concerned about the rest of the defence in all honesty as if they retain their form and fitness are good for another 2 years at least but will need more depth.
We do need fresh blood in midfield - our style of play lends to seemingly more injuries and we need to identify a replacement for McGinn assuming we keep the other 3.

[ROBBO]

how long has Bailey got on his contract?

[Dave]

how long has Bailey got on his contract?

Another year after this one.

[brontebilly]

Getting a final tune out of Bailey was always going to be a gamble. Won't play for the club again after the seasons end.

[Des Little]

Getting a final tune out of Bailey was always going to be a gamble. Won't play for the club again after the seasons end.

I'd have been happier if you'd finished that sentence after 'again'

[SaddVillan]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7234035/2026/04/28/aston-villa-squad-age-profile-europa-league/?unlocked_article_code=1.eVA.18Hp.yg6DaOj_4NJI&smid=ta-android-share

Is it now or never for this squad?

I think it is. Mings, Digne, Ollie and even possibly McGinn even if retained will play less next season. All loanees will go back (no great loss) and hope Bailey goes too and may need a replacement for Buendia too.

If we lose Rogers for enormo money than the age profile increases further and attacking options would be threadbare.

I am less concerned about the rest of the defence in all honesty as if they retain their form and fitness are good for another 2 years at least but will need more depth.
We do need fresh blood in midfield - our style of play lends to seemingly more injuries and we need to identify a replacement for McGinn assuming we keep the other 3.

Current squad ages (Transfermarkt - couldn't be bothered looking them up).

Bizot            35
Martinez     33
Mings          33
Digne           32
Barkley        32
Lindelof       31
McGinn        31
Watkins       30
Buendia       29
Abrahams   29
Torres          29
Konsa           28
Tielemans   28
Cash            28
Bailey           28
Kamara        26
Maatsen      24
Onana          24
Rogers         23
Garcia          23
Bogarde      22
Alysson       19

Haven't included  Luiz, Sancho or Elliott

[PaulWinch again]

Whilst accepting with development in sports science players can play for longer, we definitely need to to start rebalancing the age profile a bit.

[Crown Hill]

We’ll see but I think the Sunderland game may be the end of Mings!

[Pat Mustard]

I don't think there is anything massively unbalanced about the ages of that squad.  By and large we have probably already accepted that Mings, Digne and Barkley might be off at the end of the season, if these are replaced with younger players then the age profile of the rest of them looks good for at least a couple more years to me - if anything the majority would seem to be in pretty much their peak.

[SaddVillan]

I don't think there is anything massively unbalanced about the ages of that squad.  By and large we have probably already accepted that Mings, Digne and Barkley might be off at the end of the season, if these are replaced with younger players then the age profile of the rest of them looks good for at least a couple more years to me - if anything the majority would seem to be in pretty much their peak.

I'm more concerned about the overall quality of the squad.

Emery has squeezed pretty well every ounce of ability from the players he inherited and, given the age profile of the squad who's to say that the form - and fitness of some of them might drop off quite rapidly - if the decline hasn't already started  - I'm looking at Buendia/Bailey/Watkins?.

Our dealings in the transfer market are going to be crucial to us continuing to stay at the top and compete for trophies. We're really going to have be much better with our signings in the coming windows than we have recently where we've had far too many misses and not enough hits.

[Dave]

I don't think there is anything massively unbalanced about the ages of that squad.  By and large we have probably already accepted that Mings, Digne and Barkley might be off at the end of the season, if these are replaced with younger players then the age profile of the rest of them looks good for at least a couple more years to me - if anything the majority would seem to be in pretty much their peak.

I agree that there's nothing massively unbalanced about it, but I don't really see that we would be moving those players out.

If we were planning to sell Digne (and to a lesser extent, Mings), I don't see why we'd have restructured his deal - a longer contract is more expensive to us if we move him on, no? Barkley appears to be doing exactly the role we signed him to do. He's not expensive, we planned to get three years out of him and it's not like he'd bring much money in.

I think as long as we start bringing players in their early 20s rather than their late 20s, then the age thing will sort itself out nicely.

[brontebilly]

I don't think there is anything massively unbalanced about the ages of that squad.  By and large we have probably already accepted that Mings, Digne and Barkley might be off at the end of the season, if these are replaced with younger players then the age profile of the rest of them looks good for at least a couple more years to me - if anything the majority would seem to be in pretty much their peak.

Agreed I think it's overplayed. Emery doesn't need to start those three specifically, the media ran with the oldest PL starting X1 after Old Trafford if I recall correctly. We were also in a tricky spot last summer so made sense to extend Mings and Digne, Barkley was in rehab, Buendia and Bailey in no man's land. Bigger issue for me is that any efforts to provide competition for Cash and McGinn have flopped. Emery might be more comfortable with more experienced players too.

[RamboandBruno]

I don't think there is anything massively unbalanced about the ages of that squad.  By and large we have probably already accepted that Mings, Digne and Barkley might be off at the end of the season, if these are replaced with younger players then the age profile of the rest of them looks good for at least a couple more years to me - if anything the majority would seem to be in pretty much their peak.

Agreed I think it's overplayed. Emery doesn't need to start those three specifically, the media ran with the oldest PL starting X1 after Old Trafford if I recall correctly. We were also in a tricky spot last summer so made sense to extend Mings and Digne, Barkley was in rehab, Buendia and Bailey in no man's land. Bigger issue for me is that any efforts to provide competition for Cash and McGinn have flopped. Emery might be more comfortable with more experienced players too.

I dont think Barkley was in rehab, he just said he was drinking too much so changed his lifestyle and he had a child

[brontebilly]

I don't think there is anything massively unbalanced about the ages of that squad.  By and large we have probably already accepted that Mings, Digne and Barkley might be off at the end of the season, if these are replaced with younger players then the age profile of the rest of them looks good for at least a couple more years to me - if anything the majority would seem to be in pretty much their peak.

Agreed I think it's overplayed. Emery doesn't need to start those three specifically, the media ran with the oldest PL starting X1 after Old Trafford if I recall correctly. We were also in a tricky spot last summer so made sense to extend Mings and Digne, Barkley was in rehab, Buendia and Bailey in no man's land. Bigger issue for me is that any efforts to provide competition for Cash and McGinn have flopped. Emery might be more comfortable with more experienced players too.

I dont think Barkley was in tehab, he just said he was drinking too much so changed his lifestyle and he had a child

He wasn't in the squad for a couple of months anyway with what Emery said was a personal issue.