Aston Villa went through a lot of ups and downs in the recently concluded Premier League campaign as they struggled to find consistency in terms of picking up results in domestic football. The Villans ended up earning a 14th place finish in the league standings. Hence, we can expect Steven Gerrard to be eager to recruit well in the summer so that he has a strong squad for the upcoming campaign.
Here are three problem areas that Gerrard should look to address this summer.
Centre-Back
The Villans have relied on the services of Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings in central defence for most of this campaign. Calum Chambers has served as a decent backup for them in recent months.
However, Kortney Hause has struggled to feature in Gerrard’s first team this season as he has been far from reliable in league football. Maybe the Midlands outfit should look to replace him with a new centre-back ahead of the new campaign, especially if they want to compete across multiple competitions.
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Midfielder
Ashley Young’s best years are behind him and is a player on the decline. Morgan Sanson has also failed to give a good account of himself during this campaign. Hence, it makes sense for Gerrard to look for a new central midfielder who can rival the likes of John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey for a regular starting spot at Villa Park.
Aston Villa need to have more depth in their midfield department if they are to secure a top-half finish in the Premier League next season.
Right-Winger
Bertrand Traore has endured a tough season at Villa Park as he went scoreless after making just ten appearances for the Villans over the past ten months. His current contract with the West Midlands club is set to run out in the summer of 2024. Still, Gerrard would be wise to look for an upgrade for the Burkino Faso sensation in this off-season.
The Villans can definitely benefit from adding more pace to their attack. Therefore, an explosive right wide player should be high on Gerrard’s agenda during this summer transfer window.
