Aston Villa's Premier League title aspirations have suffered a severe setback following confirmation that influential midfielder Youri Tielemans faces an extended spell on the sidelines. Manager Unai Emery has revealed the Belgian international is expected to miss eight to ten weeks with an ankle injury sustained during Sunday's crucial victory over Newcastle United.
Triple Blow for Villa's Midfield
The loss of Tielemans compounds what has become a genuine injury crisis in Villa's engine room. The 28-year-old joins two other key midfielders facing prolonged absences, creating significant selection headaches for Emery as his side continues to challenge at the Premier League summit.
Emery's Injury Update
Providing a detailed medical bulletin, Emery confirmed: "We know about Kamara, McGinn and Tielemans. Kamara is a long time, I think he's not going to play this season. McGinn, more or less, is 6-8 weeks out, and Tielemans is 8-10 weeks out."
Tielemans suffered his injury during a collision with Newcastle's Lewis Miley in the 74th minute of Villa's 2-0 win at St James' Park, a result that moved them within four points of league leaders Arsenal. He was immediately replaced by Lamare Bogarde.
Immediate European Consequences
The timing of these injuries presents immediate challenges for Villa's European campaign. While already qualified for the Europa League knockout stages, they will be without several first-choice midfield options for Thursday's final group match against RB Salzburg at Villa Park.
Emery acknowledged the difficulty, stating: "After those updates of those players, we need to see how we can manage central midfielders in the matches we are going to play."
Some Positive News Emerges
Amid the injury concerns, Emery did provide some encouraging updates regarding squad availability. Ross Barkley is reportedly "coming back in a few days" after training individually, while other players remain available for selection.
Perhaps most significantly, Emery indicated that Douglas Luiz could be poised for a dramatic return to Villa Park. The Brazilian midfielder, who made over 200 appearances for Villa before joining Juventus in 2024, has spent the first half of this season on loan at Nottingham Forest.
"Amadou Onana will be coming back and Ross Barkley will be back in a few days," Emery added. "I think Luiz is close to happening."
Transfer Activity Continues
Villa have also been active in the transfer market, securing the permanent return of striker Tammy Abraham from Besiktas. The forward previously played a crucial role in Villa's 2019 promotion campaign, scoring 26 goals in 40 appearances.
However, neither Abraham nor Leon Bailey - whose loan at Roma was terminated last week - will be available for Thursday's European fixture due to registration issues.
Emery explained: "Of course, they are not involved in the Europa League, Leon Bailey and Tammy Abraham. They are out, but we have enough players."
The manager expressed particular enthusiasm about Abraham's return, noting: "When we let Donyell Malen leave, Tammy Abraham was one of the players we had in mind. It is important to have two strikers. We are excited how he can help us."
As Villa navigate this challenging period, Emery must find solutions to maintain their unexpected title challenge while competing on multiple fronts, with midfield resources stretched thinner than at any point this season.
