Aston Villa are a club firmly on the up under Unai Emery, and NSWE have backed the Spaniard in the transfer market. But who is Villa’s record signing?
Football FanCast has taken a look at Aston Villa’s most expensive signings in their history, as per Transfermarkt, with a detailed look at the top 10.
|
Aston Villa’s most expensive signings of all time |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
Fee |
Signed from |
Year |
|
1 |
Moussa Diaby |
€55m |
Bayer Leverkusen |
2023 |
|
2 |
Emiliano Buendia |
€38.4m |
Norwich City |
2021 |
|
3 |
Ollie Watkins |
€34m |
Brentford |
2020 |
|
4 |
Pau Torres |
€33m |
Villarreal |
2023 |
|
5 |
Leon Bailey |
€32m |
Bayer Leverkusen |
2021 |
|
6 |
Diego Carlos |
€31m |
Sevilla |
2022 |
|
7 |
Lucas Digne |
€30m |
Everton |
2022 |
|
8 |
Danny Ings |
€29.4m |
Southampton |
2021 |
|
9 |
Wesley Moraes |
€25m |
Club Brugge |
2019 |
|
10 |
Tyrone Mings |
€22.3m |
Bournemouth |
2019 |
|
11 |
Darren Bent |
€21.5m |
Sunderland |
2011 |
|
12 |
Philippe Coutinho |
€20m |
Barcelona |
2022 |
|
13 |
Bertrand Traore |
€18.4m |
Lyon |
2020 |
|
14 |
Emiliano Martinez |
€17.4m |
Arsenal |
2020 |
|
15 |
Douglas Luiz |
€16.8m |
Manchester City |
2019 |
|
16 |
Jhon Duran |
€16.64m |
Chicago |
2023 |
|
17 |
Morgan Sanson |
€15.8m |
Marseille |
2021 |
|
18 |
Matty Cash |
€15.75m |
Nottingham Forest |
2020 |
|
19 |
Matt Targett |
€15.5m |
Southampton |
2019 |
|
=20 |
Leander Dendoncker |
€15m |
Wolves |
2022 |
|
=20 |
James Milner |
€15m |
Newcastle United |
2008 |
All data correct as of 3rd June 2024.
Here’s a detailed look at Aston Villa’s 10 most expensive signings:
10
Tyrone Mings
€22.3m from Bournemouth
One of the players who helped Villa win promotion to the Premier League back in 2019, Tyrone Mings’ loan move from Bournemouth was made permanent that summer.
Since then, the centre-back has gone on to make more than 160 appearances for the club but has also had his injury struggles.
|
Date joined |
January 2019 |
|
Appearances |
166 |
|
Goals |
8 |
|
Assists |
9 |
|
Former clubs |
Yate Town, Chippenham, Ipswich, Bournemouth |
9
Wesley Moraes
€25m from Club Brugge
Aston Villa splashed the cash on Wesley Moraes in 2019 after they won promotion, but the Brazilian’s time in the Midlands was plagued by injury.
He made just 26 appearances in total for Villa, heading out on three separate loan spells before signing for Championship side Stoke City in 2023.
|
Date joined |
June 2019 |
|
Appearances |
26 |
|
Goals |
6 |
|
Assists |
1 |
|
Former clubs |
Itabuna, AS Trencin, Club Brugge |
|
Future clubs |
Club Brugge, Internacional, Levante, Stoke |
8
Danny Ings
€29.4m from Southampton
Another attacker who arguably didn’t live up to the big-money fee was Danny Ings.
Villa kept a deal for the Englishman extremely quiet in 2021 in what had looked like a coup, but Ings would go on to score just 14 times in 52 games before being sold to West Ham in 2023 for a loss.
|
Date joined |
August 2021 |
|
Appearances |
52 |
|
Goals |
14 |
|
Assists |
8 |
|
Former clubs |
Bournemouth, Dorchester, Burnley, Liverpool, Southampton |
|
Future clubs |
West Ham |
7
Lucas Digne
€30m from Everton
Left-back Lucas Digne moved to Villa Park from Everton in January 2022 under Steven Gerrard, and the Frenchman has gone on to become a regular under Emery.
Despite Emery bringing in Alex Moreno, Digne mainly remained first-choice during the manager’s first full season in charge.
|
Date joined |
January 2022 |
|
Appearances |
93 |
|
Goals |
4 |
|
Assists |
10 |
|
Former clubs |
Lille, PSG, Roma, Barcelona, Everton |
6
Diego Carlos
€31m from Sevilla
Like Wesley and Mings, defender Diego Carlos has also had his injury troubles after signing for Aston Villa.
The Brazilian joined Villa in 2022 and was named vice-captain under Gerrard, before rupturing his Achilles tendon on his home debut. He’s since returned to full fitness and is playing his part under Emery.
|
Date joined |
June 2022 |
|
Appearances |
41 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Assists |
1 |
|
Former clubs |
Paulista, Madureira, Estoril, Porto B, Nantes, Sevilla |
5
Leon Bailey
€32m from Bayer Leverkusen
Winger Leon Bailey arrived from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in 2021, but the Jamaican is another who has had his battles in the treatment room.
Fortunately for Emery, Bailey had his best season for Villa in 2023/24, scoring 10 goals and providing nine assists in 35 Premier League games.
|
Date joined |
August 2021 |
|
Appearances |
106 |
|
Goals |
20 |
|
Assists |
20 |
|
Former clubs |
Genk, Bayer Leverkusen |
4
Pau Torres
€33m from Villarreal
Centre-back Pau Torres was one of Emery’s top targets in the summer of 2023 after previously working with his compatriot at Villarreal.
NSWE managed to bring Torres to the Midlands, and it is a decision that has paid off so far, with the Spaniard playing an important role in one of Villa’s best seasons in recent memory.
|
Date joined |
July 2023 |
|
Appearances |
39 |
|
Goals |
2 |
|
Assists |
1 |
|
Former clubs |
Villarreal, Malaga |
3
Ollie Watkins
€34m from Brentford
Arguably one of Villa’s best-value signings in the top 10 is striker Ollie Watkins, who arrived at Villa Park from Brentford with no previous Premier League experience.
The forward has starred under numerous different managers, scoring more than 10 Premier League goals in each of his four seasons.
|
Date joined |
September 2020 |
|
Appearances |
169 |
|
Goals |
70 |
|
Assists |
26 |
|
Former clubs |
Exeter, Weston-super-Mare, Brentford |
2
Emiliano Buendia
€38.4m from Norwich
Aston Villa won the race to sign Emiliano Buendia from Norwich City in 2021 after the Argentinian’s starring years at Carrow Road, pipping the likes of Arsenal to a deal.
Unfortunately for Buendia, he missed the entirety of the 2023/24 season through injury, but he is under contract until 2026.
|
Date joined |
June 2021 |
|
Appearances |
78 |
|
Goals |
9 |
|
Assists |
9 |
|
Former clubs |
Getafe, Cultural Leonesa, Norwich |
1
Moussa Diaby
€55m from Bayer Leverkusen
Comfortably top of the charts and Villa’s record signing is Moussa Diaby, who like Bailey, arrived from Bayer Leverkusen.
The winger, who is under contract in the Midlands until 2028, quickly became a key player under Emery and helped the club to a top-four finish in 2023/24.
|
Date joined |
July 2023 |
|
Appearances |
54 |
|
Goals |
10 |
|
Assists |
9 |
|
Former clubs |
Crotone, PSG, Bayer Leverkusen |
