Aston Villa considering storming into race for 27-goal Tottenham forward who ‘fits Emery profile’
Aston Villa will weigh up whether to compete with Crystal Palace if Brennan Johnson becomes available in 2026, as TEAMtalk sources deliver the latest news on the future of the Tottenham Hotspur star, who has largely fallen out of favour with Thomas Frank.
We have reported that Johnson’s future in north London is becoming uncertain, with the club exploring upgrades across the squad as part of their ambitious plans.
Villa have an eye on their own team build for 2026 and beyond, and it’s believed they would be interested in any potential deal, should Tottenham show a genuine openness to selling Johnson.
Villa are enjoying an impressive campaign, placing themselves firmly in top-four contention and potentially even in the title race.
The club are already considering ways to strengthen the squad in both January and the summer, and remain alert to market opportunities involving Premier League-proven players with significant upside.
Johnson, 24, fits that profile, with his peak years still ahead of him and the possibility that he could become available at a reasonable fee or even potentially on loan, as my colleague Graeme Bailey reported on Wednesday. From the summer, he will have two years remaining on his current contract.
Villa have previously offered opportunities to players such as Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott as part of a strategy to try to help elite talents rediscover their best form.
Johnson could yet become the next name under consideration.
The Wales international has started six Premier League matches for Spurs this season but has not scored since the second game of the campaign, having netted 18 times last term to finish at the club’s top scorer.
In total, he has scored 27 times and also has 18 assists for Tottenham – strong numbers for a player who has not always warranted a starting role at the club, given his struggles to have a significant impact on games.
No final decision has been made on his future, but Tottenham expect to receive enquiries from interested clubs in 2026 to better understand his situation.
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Johnson could be straight January swap for Elliott
If Villa do decide to move for Johnson, the attacker could come in as a straight replacement in the squad for current Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott.
Our sources have previously revealed how the struggling Anfield star could be sent back to Merseyside in the new year, with a Liverpool journalist also revealing why Unai Emery continues to ignore the player.
As things stand, Elliott has made only five appearances for Aston Villa so far this season, with manager Emery publicly suggesting that he may not play him again.
And, The Echo’s Liverpool FC correspondent, Paul Gorst, has gone some way to explaining Emery’s stance, stating that “there is an acceptance that the decision to sign Elliott in the closing hours of the window was driven by former sporting director Monchi, who left Villa just weeks later”.
The well-informed journalist added: “Emery, it is believed by those close to Villa, feels Elliott has yet to adapt to the demands placed on him and with the club still trying to avoid the pitfalls of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Regulations, triggering a £35m fee for someone who isn’t in the plans would be a foolish move.”
While, Liverpool do not have any option to bring Elliott back from loan stint, our sources indicate that Villa are actively looking to send the player back next month, which would then potentially open the door for a Johnson swoop.
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