The Villains now face the difficult task of revamping their midfield with Tielemans on his way out, and Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara sidelined.
Villa must now address the Tielemans-shaped hole in the middle of the park.
The incoming Johan Manzambi is more forward-thinking than the Belgian international, and the Villans need a better stylistic fit to control proceedings.
Read on as we analyse three players who could seamlessly replace Tielemans at Villa this summer.
Lamine Camara
Monaco’s Lamine Camara should be on the Villa transfer shortlist following a sensational campaign in which he proved to be one of the best midfielders in Ligue 1.
The Senegalese star is a controller who is not afraid to get stuck in. His brilliance from set-piece deliveries is also worth noting, as is his reputation as a serial winner.
Camara has won titles with Senegal, picking up individual honours along the way.
Villa could use some fresh blood in the engine room, and his combination of grit plus outstanding passing ability makes him the right fit for the Birmingham-based club.
The 22-year-old is reportedly valued at around €35 million and would be a coup for any club that gets him for that figure.
Curtis Jones
If Villa are looking for a player with Premier League experience to immediately slot in and take the reins, they should look no further than Curtis Jones.
The Liverpool midfielder is reportedly open to leaving in search of playing time, and Villa should pounce on the opportunity to snap him up.
Jones is a complete midfield profile, and he is entering his prime. Besides being able to cover all midfield roles, the England international can also slot in at right-back.
Villains boss Unai Emery can transform him into the world-beater pundits and analysts expected him to become.
His £45-50m price tag is quite steep, but he could prove to be a brilliant signing for the Europa League champions.
Pablo Barrios
Atletico Madrid’s Pablo Barrios is a fantastic, underrated gem who flies under the radar. Injuries hampered his 2025/26 campaign, but he can explode next season.
He excels in the build-up phase and also posts strong creative numbers in the final third. His quality shines through in every phase of the game.
Diego Simeone’s system limits his game, but Barrios would enjoy a new lease of life at Villa that could help him evolve into a game-changing box-to-box machine.
The 23-year-old Spaniard could adeptly replace Tielemans and even grow into a better player than him.
He has a contract that runs until 2030, so signing him won’t be easy, but he is a magnificent player.
