Watkins' absence at Brighton a question for him - Emery

They ended a 30-year wait for a trophy by lifting the Europa League in May against Freiburg but the club could have sold six of the starting XI by the end of the transfer window.

Ezri Konsa's departure to Arsenal was the latest high-profile exit at Villa Park this summer as Unai Emery's squad undergoes drastic change.

Istanbul goalscorers Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers left last month, Rogers' £117m move to Chelsea a record for an English player.

Lucas Digne was sold to Paris St-Germain and Villa must also find a solution for goalkeeper Emi Martinez after his failed move to Juventus and the signing of his replacement - Zion Suzuki.

Al-Hilal may also test Villa's resolve again before the 1 September transfer deadline for Ollie Watkins, who was left out of the matchday squad for their Premier League opener at Brighton .

Asked about Watkins' absence before the game, Emery's responded: "Silence."

That would leave Matty Cash, Pau Torres, Victor Lindelof, John McGinn and Emi Buendia as those who remain from the 11 that started in Istanbul.

Like many, Villa are a selling club, mainly due to necessity, and have been for a number of years.

They must comply with Uefa's squad cost ratio (SCR) which restricts them to spending 70% of their football related revenue on player and staff wages, transfer fees and agent fees.

They have already been fined twice by Uefa for breaches, being hit with a £9.5m sanction last year and a £19.4m fine in June , although £12.9m was suspended after Villa came to a settlement agreement with Europe's governing body. But it has meant the club's hands are tied in the transfer window.

The Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) also limited financial losses to a maximum of £105 million over a rolling three-year period.

In their latest accounts, ending 30 June 2025, Villa had a post-tax profit of £17m but their two previous years showed losses of £119.6m (2023) and £85.4m (2024).

The regulations have now been replaced by SCR, which sees the Premier League fall in line with Uefa's model

"It's necessity because of the rules," one former Villa executive told BBC Sport, when asked about the sales. "The PSR, the SCR, issues are well documented.