Unai Emery is desperate to put his mark on Aston Villa this month

It is enough to pick up a newspaper, visit a website or consult social networks to see how things have changed since Unai Emery took charge of Aston Villa.

In recent transfer windows, the club have been happy to announce transfers that only a handful of people had any idea were happening.

Do you remember Danny Ings in the summer of 2021 or Diego Carlos 12 months later? Nearly £60m was spent and no one outside Bodymoor Heath, apart from the selling clubs and the players’ families and representatives, had a clue beforehand. It was like a magic trick in reverse: now you don’t see it, now you see it.

Unai Emery has had a huge impact at Aston Villa since he was appointed boss in October

Aside from the under-the-radar capture of Chicago Fire’s Jhon Duran, who was identified before Emery arrived, this window has been none of that. Alex Moreno’s £12m sack followed long before the left-back joined Real Betis. Emery just wants to get the right players. Whether his interest becomes public before the deal is made is a secondary matter.

Villa has considered, at different times, Gerard Deulofeu, Matteo Guendouzi, Nico Williams and Luiz Henrique. With Ings joining West Ham in early January, he won’t be surprised if another attacking player arrives before the end of the month.

If this month’s transfer policy seemed a bit haphazard, it’s because Emery is desperate to improve the roster. The Basque coach believes that his team has a chance to qualify for the European competition this season and is determined not to waste time. Above all, he wants a wide attacker who can play in different positions on the front line.

Left-back (pictured) Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran are Villa’s only two signings so far this month

Emery has been given a level of control that none of his predecessors has been allowed since billionaires Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens took over a club on the brink of extinction in 2018. Sawiris chose the former Paris St Germain boss and from Arsenal after Steven Gerrard was sacked and has been given carte blanche to shape the club as he wishes.

Before Emery, in Villa there was a clear hierarchy. CEO Christian Purslow, Sporting Director (first Jesús García Pitarch, now Johan Lange), Head Coach (Dean Smith and then Gerrard). All three would have to agree before a transfer is finalized.

Purslow has helped rebuild the club off the pitch and is forging ahead with an ambitious redevelopment of Villa Park and the surrounding area.

Emery is desperate to get stronger and Villa has been linked with a number of players including Gerard Deulofeu (L) and Matteo Guendouzi (R)

Under Lange, Villa have renewed their loan arrangements so that youngsters Cameron Archer, Tim Iroegbunam and Jaden Philogene are all enjoying productive Championship loan spells, along with Aaron Ramsey before injury interrupted their spell at Norwich. The Dane also oversaw the introduction of a modern scouting and analysis system, while helping to improve player care and academy recruitment.

Make no mistake though, the first team is Emery’s show now. He will make the big decisions and if he recommends top-level appointments, Sawiris is likely to back him. The role of him seems like a throwback to the days of the old-school manager in the style of Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger.

While Emery doesn’t have the formidable power base that Ferguson built during his 27 years at Manchester United, he has the final say in virtually all first-team matters.

Villa owners Nassef Sawiris (right) and Wes Edens (left) hand-picked Emery as manager and he has been given carte blanche to shape the club however he wishes as they aim to reach greater heights.

Emery believes that Europe is still possible and will push for players in the final days of the window.

We are likely to see evidence of this in the coming months. Villa bought one full-back, Lucas Digne, for £25m a year ago and gave another, Matty Cash, an excellent five-year deal last April. Emery is not believed to be convinced by either player, which is why he has signed Moreno and may be looking for a right-back in the summer, with Ashley Young turning 38 in July.

Emery and his right-hand man Damia Vidagany were at the City Ground on Wednesday to watch Manchester United win 3-0 over Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. With Villa not playing for either side until April, interest among supporters inevitably spiked.

They are likely to remain on tenterhooks for the remaining days of January as Emery continues to make his mark. After all, the 51-year-old now has the keys to the castle.