Ahead of the start of the season, Adrian Clarke looks at the players who missed the majority of the last campaign and can have a big impact in 2024/25.
Midfielders
Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa enjoyed a wonderful campaign despite losing their most natural No 10 to a season-ending knee injury just nine days before the start of last season. Argentinian playmaker Buendia was a regular starter playing just behind Ollie Watkins in a 4-2-3-1, in Unai Emery’s first season at the club. He excelled with and without the ball, creating more chances from open play (1.49 per 90 minutes) than any of his team-mates, while also defending from the front with great enthusiasm. In terms of regaining possession inside the final third, only skipper John McGinn had a better record. Buendia is perfectly suited to Emery’s high-octane style of play, and his ability thread through balls in behind for Watkins will be welcomed by the striker. Villa supporters will be thrilled to have him back.
Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa)
Ramsey was expected to be a key man last season, but foot, hamstring and toe injuries meant that he missed a total of 22 matches. Despite suffering from a stop-start season, the 23-year-old largely impressed in his eight starts, making a further eight appearances coming off the bench. Aston Villa’s excellent points return when Ramsey was involved did highlight his value. He is a young midfielder with an appetite to break forward, who tends to make things happen in advanced areas of the pitch.
Tyler Adams (Bournemouth)
Andoni Iraola’s aggressive pressing game is tailor-made for USA international Adams, but two operations on his hamstring restricted the midfield man to just 118 minutes for his new club. The 25-year-old proved his worth at Leeds United in 2022/23, forging a reputation as one of the division’s most athletic and aggressive engine room enforcers. In all the key defensive metrics for central midfielders the tough tackling Adams ranked very highly during 2022/23.