Usually, winning the Europa League and qualifying for the Champions League would leave a club in a position of strength.
However, Villa have been picked apart this summer to become a victim of the system they have been vocal against.
Ensuring they comply with Uefa and the Premier League’s financial rules led them to sell Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for a record £117m.
Even then, Youri Tielemans – who like Rogers scored in May’s Europa League win over Freiburg – was also sold to Manchester United.
Villa wanted to alter their left-back profile so Lucas Digne was allowed to join Paris St-Germain, with Atletico Madrid’s Matteo Ruggeri replacing him.
Now, though, there is still huge uncertainty over Villa’s squad just four days before they start the season at Brighton.
Villa face the prospect of losing the core of their squad by the end of the month with goalkeeper Martinez also set to leave.
Changes were expected, with an anticipation the squad would start to break up this summer – but Villa could undergo a transformation which would normally happen over two or three windows.
Skipper John McGinn was defiant last week when asked about changes, saying they still have the same structures and values which made them a success, and Villa still played well despite losing to PSG in the Super Cup.
But doubts over the squad remain.
Boss Emery squeezed everything he could out of them over the past two years and now Villa face a crucial two weeks before the end of the transfer window.
