Aston Villa need departures before January arrivals says Unai Emery

The boss has confirmed both Bertrand Traore and Calum Chambers will be allowed to leave but incomings are dependent on those outgoings, with Villa also having to keep in line with the Premier League and Uefa’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

Villa sit second in the league and are through to the last-16 of the Europa Conference League, with an FA Cup fourth round tie against Chelsea to follow later this month.

Emery believes the players he already has are capable of challenging on three fronts, without any additions.

"I am very, very happy with the players and the players are progressing good,” he said.

"The commitment with the players is really, really good. The wishes and their desires to work hard is really good in everybody and we will face three competitions until the end of the season.

“We need to have good performances in our style and we have the players here.

"Some players can leave, for example two players, Bertrand Traore and Calum Chambers and in case that situation happens we can think to add one or two players in the squad. The players we have now, we want to help and support right now."

Asked about Villa’s position in relation to FFP, Emery continued: “Of course, we have to accept the rules and have to accept, for example, if we want to sign someone we have to let one leave from our squad.

“Then, with Financial Fair Play we will have to accept the rules and how we are.

“Progressively, with the owners and our work here, every moment we are having, we are going to increase getting better our demands to improve the squad.

“Now we are second in the table, in the next round of the Conference League and the FA Cup, I believe in our players. We are playing getting stronger, more comfortable with more confidence.”