ENGINES READY! Can Villa start faster?

Will Natalia Arroyo’s squad rejuvenation get Aston Villa starting at race temperature this season? Clare McEwen kicks the tyres and sums up the changes.

Head Coach: Natalia Arroyo came to a sorry looking Villa in January 2025. After an horrific first three-quarters of the season, when it felt like they were flirting with relegation, Arroyo somehow managed to turn Aston Villa’s seasonus horribilis around. With only two wins and four draws in their first 17 games, they won all five games to finish the season sixth.

It seems incoming Spanish coach Arroyo just needed time to get everything in order before Villa unleashed the fury. A 5-2 win over Arsenal in the run-in proved to everyone (including themselves) they’ve still got it.

New signings: Ellie Roebuck, Jill Baijings, Oceane Deslandes, Lucia Kendall, Lynn Wilms, Maya Hijikata

Although they’ve lost stalwarts like Jordan Nobbs and Rachel Corsie, Villa still have the likes of captain fantastic Rachel Daly, and have made some excellent signings over the summer. With a mixture of youth and experience, they’ve strengthened the squad all over the pitch.

Dutch international Jill Baijings has made her loan move from Bayern Munich permanent, and international team mate Lynn Wilms has joined from Wolfsburg. Ellie Roebuck may be a surprise addition from Barça, but we all know her pedigree and she is an excellent addition to the squad.

Young midfielder Lucia Kendall comes from Southampton with a decent scoring record from that position, plus plenty of potential. French youth international Oceane Deslandes adds defensive strength, and young Japanese international Maya Hijikata brings attacking options.

Outlook: Aston Villa have the squad and head coach to make progress this season and will likely cause some upsets. They’ll want to start better than last season, and if they do, they may well disrupt the top teams’ ambitions.

Will finish: 5th