After escaping relegation by the skin of their teeth in the 2019/20 season, Aston Villa had a fairly decent outing next time around in the Premier League, finishing 11^th on the standings. Hence, many expected them to be a contender for the top ten last season, but that was not to be.

The departure of Jack Grealish proved to be a major reason behind Villa’s downfall, with the new signings in Emiliano Buendia, Leon Bailey, and Danny Ings failing to hit the ground running. 

Following a string of poor performances, Dean Smith was sacked in November. Former Liverpool captain and Rangers manager Steven Gerrard was announced as his replacement, and that was when things started to change for the team from West Midlands. Villa has looked fairly composed under Gerrard’s stewardship, but they still need to work on their squad.

Despite having signed four quality players, the English tactician would ideally want to see more fresh faces arrive at Villa Park, in order to make his team a prime contender for the top ten. However, before they do that, Villa might have to sell a few players.

Check out five players Aston Villa must sell this summer in the transfer window:

#1 Anwar El Ghazi

Anwar El Ghazi had a poor last season

After arriving from LOSC Lille in 2018, Anwar El Ghazi hit the ground running for Aston Villa and played a big role in the team’s promotion to the 2019/20 Premier League. Many expected him to struggle in the English top flight, but that was not to be.

He scored six goals in his first season in the Premier League, while his second season was even better, where he netted 11 goals. However, the Dutch attacker will try to forget the last season as soon as he can, as nothing worked out for him. After scoring only three goals in the first half, he was loaned out to Everton, where he hardly got any chances to prove himself. With Philippe Coutinho being roped in permanently, it might be the right time to ship out El Ghazi.

#2 Kortney Hause

Kortney Hause, like our previous mention, was a part of the Aston Villa set-up in the year they secured promotion to the top flight. In the Premier League, he had a decent first season but has mostly been a backup player ever since.

The English centre-back has made only seven appearances in each of the last two editions of the league. His appearances are likely to take a further dip this season, with the Villans signing Diego Carlos from Sevilla. Hence, parting ways could be the best option for both parties involved.

#3 Keinan Davis

Keinan Davis spent the last season on loan at Nottingham Forest

Keinan Davis was playing in the lower rungs of English football, for Biggleswade Town, when the Aston Villa scouts spotted him during a game against the Villans’ U18 team. They called him for a four-week trial, and Davis looked equally brilliant during that phase as well.

He was subsequently given a contract, and it took him only two years to establish himself as a key player in the team. Back in the 2017/18 season, he played 30 matches, but as the club kept on improving their squad and adding talent from all across the globe, Davis became a sporadic player once again. After a ‘loan move’ to Nottingham Forest last season, he could try out for a permanent move to any EFL Championship club this season.

#4 Marvelous Nakamba

Marvelous Nakamba was among those players who were signed just after Aston Villa were promoted to the Premier League. The club spent €12 million to sign the Zimbabwean midfielder, who looked fairly confident in his first season.

However, Nakamba was not always consistent, and the club sought other options elsewhere. Douglas Luiz, who arrived in the same year, proved to be a much better signing. This time around, Gerrard has further strengthened his midfield by signing Boubacar Kamara, which could lead to Nakamba’s departure.

#5 Jed Steer

Football can be extremely ruthless at times, and players like Jed Steer can easily testify. The English goalkeeper was one of the main reasons behind Aston Villa’s promotion, thanks to his excellent dhow in the 2018/19 EFL Championship.

However, once they made it to the first tier, the Villa management understood it well that having Steer as the first-choice goalkeeper will be risky. The arrival of Emiliano Martinez reduced his minutes, and now that they have signed Robin Olsen as well, Steer will hardly make any appearances. Hence, Gerrard could consider offloading him.