'The club needs a mini-rebuild'

Former Aston Villa winger Steve Froggatt says “teams have to evolve” and people “have got to trust Unai Emery” when what has been happening during this transfer window.

He told BBC Radio WM: “There are a lot of players that are looking like they’re leaving, but I don’t see it as the end of the world. Football has cycles.

“The club needs a mini-rebuild. If you look at what Sir Alex Ferguson did three or four times at Manchester United, this Villa team has done great for three years and won something. It could have fallen off a cliff this coming season with the same players.

“Let’s not forget, there were quite a few games last year when they didn’t play well at all. When they had to, they came up with good results in big competitions towards the end of last season.

“You have got to trust Unai Emery with the job he has done over the past few years. Teams have to evolve – it is happening all at once at Villa.

“I think Ollie Watkins is jockeying to get a better contract at Villa. Ezri Konsa looks like it is going to happen – he looks to be going.

“Football can change really quickly. You have to adapt and you have to bring new players in.

“Watkins is only 30 and Konsa is 28. In the scheme of football things, they probably have got another four to five-years left in them.

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