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Aston Villa signing this 7-goal dynamo starring in the Championship would be quite a coup

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Why Aston Villa should go all out to sign Matt Phillips in January

Back in July, Birmingham Mail had claimed that Aston Villa were interested in signing West Brom’s Matt Phillips. However, no deal materialized during the past summer.

Matt Phillips, 28, has been at the Baggies since the summer of 2016 when Tony Pulis signed him from Queens Park Rangers. He was a regular for West Brom last season whenever fit and netted five times – but not once after November.

This season, the Scotland international has been in excellent form under the tutelage of Slaven Bilic. West Brom are one of the title contenders, with Bilic making the team play some exciting football.

Phillips has been a regular fixture in the Croatian manager’s side, managing seven goals and two assists in 18 appearances thus far.

Matt Phillips celebrates after scoring for West Brom. (Getty Images)
Matt Phillips celebrates after scoring for West Brom. (Getty Images)

With the Scotsman being one of Championship’s best players this campaign, Aston Villa must rekindle their interest in the winger next month.

Aston Villa are 17th in the table, having won just once in their last five league games. They are struggling to get points on board, despite splashing a lot of money last summer. Most importantly, the Villans have found it difficult to score goals even in front of their home crowd.

Record signing Wesley Moraes is yet to fully adapt to the demands of Premier League football, while wingers Mahmoud Trezeguet and Anwar El Ghazi have blown hot and cold.

Jota, another wide player, hasn’t really impressed since arriving from Birmingham City. There’s a clear lack of quality in the Villa ranks and hence, signing Matt Phillips would make sense.

Phillips, who can also play as a wing-back, has formed a lethal partnership with the likes of Matheus Pereira, Grady Diangana and Hal Robson-Kanu at West Brom. The Scotsman is a right-winger by trade but can also play on the left and cause problems to the defenders.

Aston Villa players celebrate after scoring. (Getty Images)
Aston Villa players celebrate after scoring. (Getty Images)

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As per WhoScored.com, the 28-year-old has registered 7 goals, 2 assists, 1.7 key passes, 0.8 dribbles and 2 shots per game. He has attained a 79.2% pass success rate, in addition to 1.5 crosses and 0.4 long balls per game.

The numbers suggest that Phillips possesses the qualities to make an instant impact at Villa Park and Dean Smith should go for him in January.

Verdict

Phillips has extensive experience of the Premier League and the winger has currently played 400 games so far in his career. He would add plenty of experience and quality to a Villa squad looking to avoid immediate relegation to the Championship.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa Women Appoint New Technical Advisor Following Recent Departure From Everton After Three and Half Years

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Aston Villa Women have appointed Brian Sørensen as their new Technical Advisor, following his departure from Everton.

Aston Villa Women have appointed Brian Sørensen as Technical Advisor following his recent departure from Everton. The Dane joins the backroom staff after three and a half years as Head Coach at Everton Women, where he achieved significant success before his exit.

Sørensen arrives at Villa Park at a critical time with the club sitting ninth in the Women’s Super League and battling to avoid being dragged into the relegation fight. His technical experience could prove crucial as Natalia Arroyo’s side looks to finish the season strongly.

Brings Lot of Experience Within Women’s Game

Director of Football Marisa Ewers told avfc.co.uk, “Natalia and the team are excited to welcome Brian to the club as we look to finish the season strongly. We believe his technical experience will be a valuable addition at a critical time of the season.”

Head coach Natalia Arroyo said, “I’m pleased to welcome Brian to the club. He brings a lot of experience within the women’s game and will add another perspective to our staff as we continue working with the players every day. Our focus remains on improving as a team and finishing the season strongly, and Brian’s support will be valuable as part of that collective effort.”

Made Significant Investment Into Organisation

Sørensen said, “Aston Villa have made significant investment into their women’s organisation during the past seasons and possess a formidable squad. I appreciate the opportunity to join during this period and work with Marisa and Natalia, a Manager who I know well, to strengthen the technical foundation of the club.”

The appointment represents an interesting addition to Villa’s backroom setup, with Sørensen’s experience potentially helping Arroyo navigate the challenges ahead. Villa host table topping Manchester City on Saturday, March 15, in what promises to be a difficult test.

Also read: Kieran Maguire Explains NSWE’s Aston Villa Women Sale as Documents Officially Lodged With Ownership Changes Confirmed at Companies House

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Aston Villa

Aston Villa Proudly Support International Women’s Day as Club Celebrate 115 Years of Collective Action Towards Gender Equality

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Aston Villa proudly supports International Women's Day, celebrating 115 years of efforts for gender equality.

Aston Villa is proud to celebrate International Women’s Day, honoring women’s achievements, raising awareness about discrimination, and taking action to forge gender parity. First marked in 1911, IWD 2026 recognizes the milestone of 115 years of collective action, advocacy, and progress towards gender equality.

For more than a century, International Women’s Day has helped drive transformative change, with each generation building on the courage of those before it. The annual celebration takes place across the world on March 8, and the theme for this year is Give To Gain.

Encourages Mindset of Generosity

The 2026 Give To Gain campaign encourages a mindset of generosity and collaboration. Give To Gain emphasizes the power of reciprocity and support with the message that when people, organizations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase.

Everyone can give their support to gain advancement for women and girls. The club, continuing its ongoing support for International Women’s Day, is again celebrating this year’s campaign with various initiatives across the organisation.

Dedicated IWD Fixture at Villa Park

Villa’s dedicated IWD fixture sees Aston Villa host Manchester City in the Women’s Super League at Villa Park on Sunday, March 15, with kick off at 11:55. This is a brilliant opportunity for supporters to show their backing for both the women’s team and the wider cause.

As part of the celebrations, Villa are also giving supporters the chance to win some exciting prizes and enjoy a fun filled visit to the Villa Store in the Bullring on Sunday, March 8, between 11:00 and 17:00.

The club is immensely proud to recognise and highlight the important contribution of women at Aston Villa. To mark IWD 2026, Villa wanted to shine a deserving light on four female members of the club’s Executive Board, including Chief People Officer Lisa Bailey, Head of Football Administration Sharon Barnhurst, Managing Director Maggie Murphy, and General Counsel Victoria Wilkes.

Also read: Aston Villa Accused of Insulting Move as Sale Made Official This Week With Kieran Maguire Claiming Actions Make Mockery of Rules

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Aston Villa

Aston Villa Accused of Insulting Move as Sale Made Official This Week With Kieran Maguire Claiming Actions Make Mockery of Rules

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Aston Villa faces backlash over a controversial sale, with Kieran Maguire claiming the move undermines established rules.

Aston Villa‘s move to sell their women’s team to the club’s holding company is insulting to the sport, according to football finance expert Kieran Maguire. The Price of Football podcaster said the actions of the likes of Villa, Chelsea, and Everton are making a mockery of the rules.

On Tuesday, Maguire posted a screenshot confirming Villa had sold their women’s team to V Sports, the holding company that owns the club. Reports suggest billionaire owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens will pocket the Villa Park outfit around £55 million from the sale, months before the practice is set to be outlawed.

Get Out of Jail Free Card

After Chelsea sold their women’s team to parent company BlueCo for just under £200 million last April and Everton did the same last July to Roundhouse Capital Holdings, Maguire has slammed this get out of jail free card for men’s teams.

The aforementioned clubs have managed to secure these transactions ahead of such practices being banned from the 2026-27 season. From next term, Squad Cost Ratio will replace the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.

Women’s Game Should Be Independent Sport

When asked about clubs selling women’s teams to their parent companies, Maguire heavily criticised the practice and said it was an insult to women’s football. “I think it’s insulting to the women’s game, as the women’s game should be seen as an independent sport with its own audience rather than as a get out of jail free card for the men’s team for PSR compliance purposes,” Maguire exclusively told Villa News.

He added, “I think it does make a mockery of the rules, and it shows that whoever drafted the rules hasn’t really thought them through. My only concern is if this gets outlawed, you just get sort of a game of whack a mole, and you get the accountants and the lawyers around the table, and they’ll find another loophole.”

Also read: Kieran Maguire Explains NSWE’s Aston Villa Women Sale as Documents Officially Lodged With Ownership Changes Confirmed at Companies House

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