Explain: Why Aston Villa won’t take up full Europa League allocation
Aston Villa Busy Behind the Scenes as Summer Transfer Window Heats Up
Aston Villa’s recruitment team is working diligently behind the scenes as the summer transfer window gets underway in earnest. With plenty of activity expected in the coming weeks, the club’s decision-makers are already deep into planning to strengthen the squad ahead of another demanding campaign.
Under the leadership of manager Unai Emery, Villa came agonizingly close to securing a Champions League spot last season. Although they narrowly missed out, the team’s qualification for the UEFA Europa League offers a significant incentive to keep pushing forward, with European silverware now firmly within their sights.
Villa’s success last term was underpinned by an impressive squad depth that allowed them to compete across multiple fronts. Not only did they challenge in the Premier League, but they also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and participated in European competition. Emery relied heavily on a well-balanced squad to navigate the intense fixture schedule, and he will no doubt be looking for similar depth and quality to compete effectively across all competitions during the 2025/26 season.
As part of their preparations for the Europa League, Villa, like all other participating clubs, must comply with UEFA’s squad registration regulations. This involves submitting two separate player lists — known as List A and List B.
Understanding UEFA Squad Rules for the Europa League
List A is the primary list and is capped at a maximum of 25 players. However, UEFA mandates specific requirements within that 25-man limit. Each team must name at least two goalkeepers in List A and a minimum of three in total when combining List A and List B.
One of the most significant stipulations is the inclusion of homegrown talent. UEFA defines “locally trained players” as those who have developed through club or domestic systems during their formative years. Eight places in the List A squad are reserved for such players.
These are divided into two categories:
Club-trained players are those who were on the club’s books for a minimum of three years between the ages of 15 and 21.
Association-trained players are those who spent three years with any other club within the same national football association during those formative years.
To meet the UEFA criteria, each club must include at least four club-trained players and can have no more than four association-trained players within the eight-player homegrown quota. If a team fails to meet this requirement, their maximum List A squad size is reduced by the number of missing homegrown players.
Villa’s Homegrown Challenge
As things stand, Jacob Ramsey is expected to be the only club-trained player eligible and ready to be named in Villa’s List A squad. Although Lamare Bogarde also qualifies as a club-trained player based on his development within Villa’s academy, he was born after January 1, 2004, which allows the club to register him on List B instead. List B can include an unlimited number of players under the age of 21 who have been eligible to play for the club for at least two years.
This puts Villa in a slightly tricky position. If only Ramsey is available as a club-trained player and they manage to name four association-trained players, the club would be short by three homegrown players. That deficit would reduce their List A squad from 25 to just 22 players.
This is not an unfamiliar issue for Villa. During the Champions League knockout rounds last season, the club left five spots in their List A squad unfilled due to similar constraints.
Villa’s 2024 Champions League Knockout List A Squad (for reference):
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Robin Olsen
Defenders: Matty Cash, Axel Disasi, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen
Midfielders: Boubacar Kamara, Ross Barkley, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, Jacob Ramsey
Forwards: Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins, Marco Asensio, Morgan Rogers, Leon Bailey
As Emery prepares for another demanding season on multiple fronts, the club’s recruitment and squad planning will be pivotal—not only in bringing in new talent but also in ensuring that they meet all UEFA registration criteria. Striking the right balance between imported quality and homegrown talent will be essential if Aston Villa are to mount a serious challenge in Europe while maintaining their domestic ambitions.