Villa push on two fronts: Wan-Bissaka and Palhinha

The two targets

Wan-Bissaka and Palhinha both featured at the 2026 World Cup, according to Football365, and Villa's pursuit of the pair signals a window with real intent behind it. A right-back who has rebuilt his reputation and a combative, ball-winning midfielder are exactly the profiles Unai Emery tends to covet: players who can hold shape under pressure and operate without the ball as effectively as with it.

Where the deals stand

Football365 reports that Villa have had a bid knocked back for one of the two, and that a club official has gone public on the other, which rarely makes a deal easier to close. The details of the rejected offer and what exactly was said publicly are not yet confirmed, so treat both situations as live and moving. What is clear is that Villa have gone back to the table rather than walking away.

Why this matters for Villa

Emery's side have spent recent seasons building the infrastructure to compete at the top of the Premier League and in Europe. Landing both players in the same window would give Villa a more defensively secure right flank and a midfield anchor capable of protecting the back four in high-intensity European nights. The knockback and the public noise are obstacles, not conclusions. Villa have navigated messier windows before.