Eyebrows were raised when Aston Villa boss Unai Emery brought in Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford in the January transfer window. Both players have had struggled for form in recent times, so the transfers were met with skepticism. However, the duo have proved their doubters wrong with strong starts in Birmingham. This prompted us to take a deeper look at Villa’s transfer philosophy.
How Rashford and Asensio Have Boosted Aston Villa
Emery made a bold call against Chelsea oon Saturday night by benching Rashford to give Jacob Ramsey a start. Ramsey’s impressive form since the turn of the year might have prompted the Villa boss to make the choice.
Emery brought on the Manchester United loanee to add pace and energy, as Villa struggled to break down Chelsea’s defence in the first half.
Asensio, starting in the No. 10 role, drifted in and out of the game early on, while Morgan Rogers also failed to make a significant impact before the break.
Rashford’s introduction forced Chelsea to adjust, creating space for Asensio to exploit. The Spaniard capitalised, ghosting into the box to score the equaliser after Rashford set him up from Matty Cash’s cross. He later sealed the win, turning in Rashford’s delivery past Filip Jorgensen.
Asensio covered a game-high 10.8km, dispelling the notion he’s merely a ‘glamour signing’. The 29-year-old, after a decorated spell at Real Madrid and limited opportunities at PSG, has embraced this new challenge, showing full commitment.
Rashford’s move to Villa was similarly bold, choosing to work under Emery — one of Europe’s most demanding managers — despite other options.
Both players arrived with big reputations, and now they’re proving their worth, aiming to become icons in claret and blue during what could be a historic season for Villa.
With Emery at the helm and a supportive dressing room around them, both players have found the perfect setting to reignite their careers.
Rashford certainly made his mark in his 45-minute cameo — misplacing just one of his 16 passes, taking five touches in the opponent’s box, creating three chances, delivering two assists, and even regaining possession three times. A real impact off the bench.
Emery Now Has A More Diverse Arsenal
Given Villa were trailing, a draw wouldn’t have been a disaster, but the win significantly strengthens their push for a top-five finish in May.
The introductions of Donyell Malen and Leon Bailey proved decisive, helping Villa secure the victory late on. Both players have faced challenges this season but possess the quality to make a real impact when at their best.
Bailey has struggled for form, scoring just once all season, while Malen endured a tough first half of the campaign at Dortmund before being left out of Villa’s Champions League squad this month. Still, the Dutchman has looked sharp, with promising cameos against Liverpool and Chelsea, coming close to scoring a debut goal on multiple occasions.
Malen was denied a potential winner against Chelsea after being played through by Rashford, only for Jorgensen to pull off a crucial save before Asensio eventually found Villa’s second.
It’s telling that despite Chelsea’s £1.2bn transfer spree under Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly, Villa had stronger options from the bench — even with key players like Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana, Pau Torres, and Ross Barkley out injured, and loanee Axel Disasi unavailable.
