According to The Mirror, Paul Merson said that if Aston Villa continue to sell key players, Emery will not stay for long.

Most of the players from the squad that won the Europa League final in May have already left Villa. Konsa, Digne, Tielemans, and Morgan Rogers have been sold, while Emiliano Martinez and Watkins are also expected to depart.

Last season, Emery led the team to fourth place in the Premier League and won another European trophy, but Villa failed to build on that success, instead selling several prominent players. They signed Duran for a record fee, but the team now looks far weaker than it did last year.

This decline was clear in Villa's 4-0 away loss to Brighton in their opening Premier League match. Brighton scored four goals in 31 minutes, and Emery also saw summer signing João Gomes sent off before halftime. Merson believes that if the club continues with this approach to transfers and player retention, their chances of keeping Emery will diminish significantly.

Merson stated on Sky Sports: "I certainly don't think they'll get relegated, but even with a top manager like Emery, I don't think they'll finish in the top half. If Emery isn't frustrated by this situation yet, he's truly an extraordinary person. This situation is very rare. We saw Tottenham win a European trophy and finish only 17th. He won the same European trophy and finished fourth."

Merson continued: "Obviously, there's no indication that he'll leave now. But if things continue like this, I don't think Emery will stay for long. We're talking about one of the top managers in football, and it seems as though everyone is leaving him."

Emery has managed Aston Villa since late 2022 and has led the team to some of the club's best results and Premier League finishes in recent years, all while operating on a much smaller budget than their competitors.

Merson added: "This is absolutely crazy at the top level of football. We're talking about a very big football club that has just qualified for the Champions League, won a European trophy, and then sold all their best players."

Villa's next match is at home against Arsenal on Monday, with Konsa potentially making his debut for the Gunners against his former club. Emery's team will compete in the Champions League, meaning they will be playing on four fronts, but there are significant concerns over the squad's quality and depth.

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details, and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com