The latest transfers of Brennan Johnson and Pedro Gonçalves

Aston Villa's Cameron Archer's big decision, Brennan Johnson and Pedro Gonçalves' latest transfers

BirminghamLive's chief Aston Villa contributor John Townley sat down with supporters to discuss hot topics

Aston Villa's pre-season programme begins next week with Unai Emery's first-team team set to begin returning to Bodi Moor Heath for a busy summer schedule.

Villa will play the first friendly match against Walsall at Bescote Stadium on Saturday, July 15, before they will fly to the United States for the Premier League Summer Series. Villa will begin their Premier League journey at St James' Park on Saturday 15 August, following three friendly matches against Newcastle, Fulham and Brentford across the ocean before the games against Lazio and Valencia.

Villa will confirm Paulo Torres as the second player in the summer transfer, and he will follow Yuri Tielemans into the team. Emery will be looking to continue adding quality to his squad in the coming weeks as Villa prepares for an exciting 2023/24 season.

JohnOHara8: Hi John, how are you adjusting to the next Ashley Prie? Haha, undoubtedly busy. Anyway, 1. Did Vera reveal who was on the list or who could leave, and any real-time developments in those areas? 2. Emi M and Watkins - I think these are 100% waiting to be invested? 3. Ins: We have to have an INS list, who are we currently talking to about possible deals? 4. Is Ferran Torres really that real? How real is it? Because he seems to want to stay in Bath? 5. Injured, missing, or deserted: Apart from the recent news of J. Ramsey's injury, who else has been injured and when is their return date? ... Phil?.. Will Ramsey wait for Jacob to return for pre-season? Training? Also Is Aaron Ramsay still injured? When will he return? Are there any other team members who haven't come back yet, or someone who hasn't come back... Sanson, Traore, Nakamba? 6. M. Nakamba - Luton can't seem to afford him, so what's next? Do we keep, paste or distort? 7. Preseason games in the states, where can we watch them? Do AVFC or Villa TV have these streams? Late kick-off? Is UK midnight time best for these races? Sorry for the roster, haha, looking forward to the heats, but more excited about who the next goalkeeper is, Unai Emery's army will be another thing I want to say! Great time to become a villain, UTV!

Good afternoon, John! Thanks for coming, man. Very busy, but I have no complaints and am honored to cover this club. We'll start with the first question. Villa signed Kessler Hayden on loan last week and I'm really happy to have him move to the Championship. He will work with highly rated Steven Schumacher. Seb Raven is about to join the Second Division side on loan, while the other youngsters will leave in the coming weeks. Nakamba is one of Luton's top targets this summer and is expected to move this summer. Morgan Sandson, Wesley, Kenan Davis and Courtney House can also leave. Jaden Philokin may leave permanently, and Stoke City is interested.

Vera will complete Torres' signing next week and the hiring team is working around the clock to plan for a window that will continue to be busy. Emery wants to add a star player to his forward line, but has so far been rejected by Chiesa, Williams and Asensio. Leeds United and US national team midfielder Adams is the target, but several clubs in the Premier League are also interested in him. He will add versatility and leadership to Villa's squad. Considering that Marty Cash is the only recognized right-back in the squad, Emery may think he is a player who can fill the midfield and right-back positions. As for Ferran Torres, at this stage he is on vacation and will not talk happily about his future. Villa have yet to enter into any specific talks with Barcelona over the signing of the former Manchester City ace, but Barca have a feeling that he could leave this summer. He wants to stay but knows that next year's Euros are coming up and he needs to play regularly. Torres sees Emery as a top coach and is willing to work with him again, but swapping Champions League football for Villa is another issue. His future will soon be settled. It is worth noting that Barcelona director Mateu Alemanni has a very good relationship with Emery and Damia Viadagani.

Bertrand Traoré is currently injured in June's international match against Burkina Faso. Coutinho currently trains in Brazil with strength and conditioning coach Edar Dias, who is based in Jeddah and often trains with players from the Saudi Pro League. Marty Cash, who also missed Poland last month, should be fit and ready for pre-season. Alex Moreno is expected to miss most, if not all, of the club's pre-season. The return of Newcastle match will be a huge boost but he will be monitored in the coming weeks. We are waiting for the latest news from Jacob Ramsay – hopefully things won't be too serious. Luton won't be spending money this summer, but Rob Edwards is determined to bring Nakamba back to the club. You expect Villa and Luton Town to reach an agreement on his transfer. The friendly match against Villa TV will be broadcast live on Walsall and Lazio at the Bescot Stadium and the final in Valencia. I'm not sure what happened in the American Summer Series.

NAZ1973: Hi, who will be our main centre-back, partnering Torres, who is about to sign. How does Emery say about Diego Carlos... It's hard to get all four to be satisfied, with Ming and Consa going into most teams.

Hi man! That's a difficult question to answer because I don't think Emery was the first to be the first to be S and Torres at the same time. He strives for perfection and while his centre-back plays such an important role in the playmaking phase, two left-footed players are not ideal. Mins was one of Villa's most consistent players last season, but unfortunately did not win the Player of the Year award. Torres arrived as one of La Liga's best centre-backs and, given that he has already worked with Emery before, he will undoubtedly play a key role in next season's eleven-man squad. If the first game against Newcastle next week is played, I will start with Consa and Consa because it is tried and trusted. Let's see what happens in pre-season – this will help Emery make a decision in the opening weekend of the season.

selectedin1957: Hello John, I also read your blog with Dan, about the fantastic plans for the reconstruction of the stadium and the surrounding area and all sorts of serious transportation infrastructure issues, you are absolutely right, the elephant in the room. As you said, the club is as frustrated as the fans that no real progress has been made on this vital infrastructure. We have the excellent Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr on our doorstep, our club's first home before we moved to Villa Park. Has the club ever asked about using this stadium for women's matches and youth competitions? Alexander Stadium also has excellent parking facilities, which can be used on match days if we are able to provide a shuttle service for excursions to Vila Park.

Hi friend! Hope you're doing well? You made some very interesting points there. I'm sure the club has been asking all these questions, with owners Nassef Saviris and Wes Aidens stressing that they are fully committed to realising the exciting vision of Villa Park. Transport links and such issues appear to be major hurdles at the moment, and hopefully the club's public consultation this afternoon will provide more information. Villa has tens of thousands of supporters on the waiting list and must increase the stadium's capacity to meet demand. Villa fans need to watch matches with their families and clubs need ticket revenue. Let us hope that the reconstruction plan will receive some positive news soon.

Leigh Jswinn: Hey John! I apologize if anyone has asked this question – but what is the basis for all these rumors that we will buy more centre-backs than Paul Torres? There are still links to Emeric Laporte, Gleason Bremer, Bella Kochap and Roger Ibanes... I hope this list does not continue?! With Torres / Mins / Carlos / Consa we are definitely already in a pile now?! Or is there something we don't know yet... For example, Emery plans to bring in three central defenders and full-backs next season?!

Hi Leigh! Hope you are a good partner. If Emery plans to switch to a full-back system of three centre-backs, I'm sure we'll see it next weekend in Walsall or on a trip to the U.S. later this month. If not, then I very much doubt that Villa signed another centre-back following the arrival of Paulo Torres. I haven't heard of the connection with the players you mentioned. Torres is a major win for Villa, who remain committed to bringing in equally impressive players in other positions in the coming weeks.

Babadaddamings: Hi John, hope you're doing well! I've been thinking for the last few days if we do bring in another striker... Do you think Duran is more likely to be loaned out so that Archer can fill one of the four positions our club has developed if we qualify for Europe? Or can you see us keeping 4 strikers and maybe adding 2 strikers to the front line as Emery has done in the past? Next... Can we see Emery using 4 midfielders in midfield, as he sometimes does at Villarreal? So from left to right are Ramsay, Louis, Tielemans, McKim? Allow Moreno and Cassi to bomb on the wing?

Afternoon! Hope you're doing well, man. It's an interesting thing because Villa have plenty of players for the strikers at the end of the transfer window. Emery is looking to bring in a star – he has brought in the likes of Nico Williams, Marco Asensio and Federico Chiesa – and possibly a striker. I doubt many clubs will meet Villa's request to let Archer leave permanently, will they need to go on loan again? I think it's time for Archer to conduct his business in deep fuchsia and blue. In my opinion, Duran had an impact in most of the games he played in and caused problems for defenders in the final stages of the game. Obviously, it's not believed he can play more games at the moment and I think a loan is exactly what he needs. After all, he has only been playing in Europe for a few months now.

Emery would certainly consider the option of playing two nines, but given the system he deployed last season, perhaps it was an option to change the way the team does in the game, rather than starting Watkins and Archer from the start. Example. As the team has more respect for Villa, having these solutions to beat different opponents will be key next season. In midfield selection, Emery has a lot of good players. Ramsey and McGim are likely to occupy the front midfield position next season, while Camara and Luiz sit deeper. But Tielemans and another possible new midfielder will have something to say about it. Buendia and Pele can also play senior midfield roles, depending on the opponent. As you pointed out,

Mikecoolruler: Good morning, John, and hope you're doing well, man? VP has been another busy week so we now have 2 fantastic signings at Tielemens and Torres, who do you think will be next? I think it will be the number two goalkeeper "Bono", or Ferran Torres, or even Gonçalves, we will keep an eye on more players. As for Cameron, how do you feel about his role next season, will Unai promote him to the first team as a backup striker in the 23/24 season and have him play alongside Duran? Location?

Good afternoon, Mike! How are you, man? I can't name the next signing, but all I can say is that Vera's recruitment team has been working around the clock for weeks. There is real optimism around the club at the moment, and this will be further enhanced by the arrival of Monchi, who is about to start his role as president of football operations. Villa have been very busy in the transfer window and have signed two signings. In fact, they want more at this stage. At the moment, it's not clear if Emery wants to add depth to the goalkeeper squad, but if he does, then I'm very skeptical that Villa can sign Sevilla's number one goalkeeper to play behind Amy Martinez, even if it's just for a season. I think Archer has a huge opportunity to start his career at Villa this summer. Villa are likely to play more than 50 games next season and if he can score at any stage of the season, then he has already played his part. No one expects him to start in the Premier League, so, for example, when he is called up to lead the team in the Europa League against weaker opponents, the pressure will not be too great. I then fully support him in taking his place. He is too expensive for any Championship club to sign him permanently, is it necessary to relegate him on loan again? I don't think so. I fully support his succession. He is too expensive for any Championship club to sign him permanently, is it necessary to relegate him on loan again? I don't think so. I fully support his succession. He is too expensive for any Championship club to sign him permanently, is it necessary to relegate him on loan again? I don't think so.

Westy13: Good morning, John, nice to watch the C&B podcast with you and Dan – I watched the episode the other day with your hypothetical £150 million spend – in an ideal world, with a realistic budget. Which transfers will you consider for the club firstly and which players will you favour? I think it would be good business if we could snap up Barnes, however, we still feel we may need to upgrade Pele and use Leon as more rotational players. Obviously, RB-Walker Peters would be a powerful call for RB in my opinion, but I don't think there is any "reliable" connection with the player. What do you think?

Cheers, Westy! Glad you enjoyed podcasts. We want to be bigger and better next season, so keep it up. I spent too long searching databases and stats websites to assemble my team, ha! I think Villa need to add a star player to their forward line and it's not surprising to see Villa trying to do that for some ambitious goals. It's very difficult to attract top talent without the Champions League, but Emery is attractive to the players. Having coached at Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, he knows how to manage a dressing room packed with big-name players. Cash is the only recognised right-back in the squad, so a new signing is needed here. Consa could fill the void, but Villa were just one injury away from putting the position in jeopardy. I haven't heard anything about Walker Peters at the moment, but I agree,

ethanwoody123: Is there more news from John Witton Radio?

Hi Ethan! Hope you're doing well, man. There is no specific update, but I will be heading to the VP later today for Vera's public consultation on the first phase of the stadium's redevelopment. We'll see what happens.

Annafrances: Hi John, any more transfers? Are there any closely linked names? Now that the sporting world has bought the remaining transfer terms of Pedro Gonsalves from his former club, do you think we will choose Pedro Gonsalves?

Afternoon! Thank you for participating today. Vera is ambitious and will continue to work towards Emery's overarching goal. So far, their forward targets have not been too lucky, with the likes of Asensio, Williams and Chiesa all reluctant to join at this stage. Following the introduction of Tielemans and Torres, improving the quality of these striker positions is Emery's top priority. Barnes is under consideration, but both West Ham United and Newcastle have positioned themselves at the top of the queue. However, Vera is a very attractive option for Barnes for a number of reasons. Vera is interested in Brennan Johnson, who could raise a fortune for the Forest this summer and is worth more than £40 million.

Whether Vera will help him, we will wait and see, but certainly interested. I expect at least four players to join Tielemans and Torres, with Emery keen to add a striker, winger, midfielder, right-back and possibly even a goalkeeper to his squad in the coming weeks. In Gonçalves, he will also charge a hefty fee this summer, and it is unclear whether he will appear on Vera's list. He will add creativity and versatility to the forward area, but I'm not sure he fits what Unery is asking of a Watkins partner. Other targets seem better suited to the system Villa used last season.

Johnus1964: Good morning, John, hope you're well, man, you're doing great, when do you think we'll announce our next signing, any updates on Barnes, Gnonto, conclaves, any more striker connections, Guendousi links don't seem to be leaving, has Taylor Adams been linked with Leeds United and Leicester City, I think we need another right-back substitute and I think we need at least 4 other signings before the start of the season, plus the players who left. UTV greetings, John

Good afternoon, John! Thank you for your support, really appreciated. I will start with Barnes, who will leave after Leicester are relegated. A move to Villa is a very attractive option for the winger for a number of reasons, but at this stage, West Ham United and Newcastle appear to be leading the race to sign him. Villa has many goals in the region, including Brennan Johnson. Nottingham Forest will offer him more than £40 million, but he may be willing to sell it if he can get a big deal. Gonsalves isn't cheap this summer either, but there's plenty of money to spend, and Emery sees the role as a big part of his eleven-man roster. Emery is looking to add depth in midfield, while Lionde Dendonker appears to be heading for an exit. Several clubs are interested in signing the Belgian, but he is unlikely to get the minutes he needs next season. Leeds' Adams is favoured for his versatility, as he can also play right-back as well as point guard midfield. Given the lack of depth in the department, it's important to sign a player who can play right-back and compete with Marty Cash. Torres' arrival should be confirmed by the club at some stage next week, after which I expect at least four other players to arrive.

ZLP: Good morning, what is the latest news from John, Harvey Barnes and Gonsalves?

Good afternoon, friend! Harvey Barnes has attracted interest from a number of clubs including Newcastle and West Ham United, who currently appear to be ahead of Villa in the race to sign him. I know Vera is a very attractive option for Barnes and he is willing to join this summer for a number of reasons, one of which is that he and his family have settled in the Midlands. However, Villa have several options in this area of the pitch, including Brennan Johnson, who is considered to be on the radar this summer. He is worth more than £40 million, but out of concern about FFP, Forest are willing to sell him for the right price. In Gonçalves, Sporting Lisbon recently secured his other 40% resale clause from Familikau. Sporting Portugal currently owns 90% of Gonçalves' worth and paid a total of €13.5 million to Familico. This suggests they are preparing to sell at some point, which will be under the terms of his £68 million release fee, but they are under no pressure to raise money this summer as around €175 million have been received from player sales over the past two years. Villa have already tried the ambitious move of Federico Chiesa and Nico Williams, so there is enough money to make a big signing.

Villaninoz: Hi John, did you hear any talk considering the need for a striker? It's nice to have Archer and Duran, but Watkins is injured and I'm not sure it's fair to let the youngsters take on so much responsibility. Happy to be proven wrong, but I would have thought that the striker was not a priority.

Good afternoon, man, hope you're doing well. Interest remains in signing a striker, but given Watkins' form since the start of the year, the team has other priorities. There are also backup options, and if Emery chooses to keep Archer and Duran on his roster next season, then both Archer and Duran have options. This summer, Villa have been courting players such as Nico Williams, Marco Asensio (free) and Federico Chiesa, showing that Villa have money to spend and, apparently, Emery believes that the role with Watkins is crucial. After selling Danny Ings to West Ham in January, Emery insisted he wanted to replace him with an experienced No.9 this summer, but perhaps Watkins has shown the Villa boss that he is a workhorse he can rely on, rather than partnering him or adding more competition to the role, and Villa will go all out to find a more creative partner who can contribute with him. We'll see how it turns out, but we know Villa are actively looking to improve the quality of the striker position.

JamesVilla85: Hi John. First question, long-term reader. Hope all goes well :) I've noticed a lot of links to players who aren't local players. However, as BL reports, we need to sign x players to qualify for the Premier League and European quotas. Given rumors that Chambers and others are also relocating, shouldn't we complete our home quotas before further exploring the European market? Having said that, I'm still looking forward to signing Paulo Torres. I think this signing will take our defense to another level.

Hi James! Thanks for participating, man, that's a great question. As a result, Villa currently have six players who are fully expected to be in their Premier League 25-man squad and also meet the quota for homegrown players. They are: Marty Cash, Ezri Consa, Amy Martínez, Tyrone Mins, Ollie Watkins and Jacob Ramsay. They need to add two more to meet the required quantity. Academy graduates Viljami Sinisalo, Cameron Archer, Aaron Ramsey and Tim Iroegbunam fit the homegrown quota, but considering they are both under-21 players, they are unlikely to make the 25-man squad and could also be loaned out. UEFA's squad rules are slightly more complicated, requiring Villa to include four "club-trained" players. I don't think Villa would actively seek to sign homegrown players, but that would certainly tick another box. On Torres, I completely agree, man. He is one of the best centre-backs in La Liga and given that he has been working with Emery for many years, he will seamlessly integrate into Villa.