Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has confessed he felt anxious at the beginning of each campaign with the club, yet insists this term presents a different situation due to the shrewd recruitment the Midlands side are undertaking during the current transfer period.
Over the past six weeks, Villa have offloaded several important first-team contributors such as Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne and Ezri Konsa, with Ollie Watkins potentially following them out the exit door shortly. Goalkeeper Emi Martinez also continues to be the subject of speculation regarding his next move.
New recruits Johan Manzambi, Alejandro Garnacho and Joao Gomes have been supplemented by more recent signings Matteo Ruggeri, Zion Suzuki and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Emery has also seen three members of his coaching staff depart this summer: assistants Pako Ayestarán and Antonio RodrÃguez Saravia, alongside set-piece specialist Austin MacPhee.
However, with the season opener looming, Emery is maintaining an optimistic stance despite a disruptive summer, as the transfer window stays accessible until the start of September.
The Villa manager revealed his concerns dated back three and a half years to his appointment, when facing Manchester United in the inaugural home fixture left him extremely uneasy.
He disclosed similar anxieties from two years prior and last season when they kicked off against Newcastle United at Villa Park. The team could only manage a draw that day, and the transfer dealings at that time did not proceed as smoothly as desired, though were eventually completed. He further acknowledged feeling troubled after five winless Premier League matches. He continues to harbour concerns, explaining that while achieving all transfer objectives remains challenging, the club are operating with great intensity and intelligence, putting in extra effort and acting with accountability without sacrificing their aspirations. He affirmed his worry while simultaneously expressing confidence about the ambitions they can pursue when the new season commences, drawing parallels to his feelings in previous years and upon his initial arrival, before adding that the focus now shifts to practical work.