4 Talking Points for Aston Villa's January Transfer Window

As 2014 nears its end, Aston Villa will be among the many Premier League teams looking to start afresh in the new year. The most significant way to do that will be to take advantage of the winter transfer window at the start of 2015.

In recent years, the January window has been an underwhelming affair for Villa fans. The signings of the likes of Grant Holt, Simon Dawkins and Yacouba Sylla ultimately made little impact on Villa’s future. Not since the record-breaking singing of Darren Bent has Villa made a major acquisition in January.

This season’s window may not see Villa spend extravagantly, but it will be highly significant as the club is faced with a number of crucial decisions to make regarding the long-term future of some of their players.

Here are the major talking points for Aston Villa's upcoming winter transfer window.

Will Ron Vlaar and Fabian Delph Stay?

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The uncertain futures of Villa’s captain and standout midfielder will be sure to induce plenty of anxiety around Villa Park this January. Both Ron Vlaar and Fabian Delph will be out of contract in the summer and have been incessantly rumoured to be leaving Birmingham.

Negotiations with both players have stalled, leaving Villa in a difficult spot. Both are key members of the team who are the best options at their positions, but losing them for free over the summer would be a devastating blow.

In the case of Vlaar, Villa would be wise to bite the bullet and sell the defender this January. Vlaar is undoubtedly an excellent player, but his stock will never be higher after his success with the Dutch national team at this summer's World Cup.

Furthermore, the emergence of Ciaran Clark and Jores Okore as a promising defensive pairing will soften the blow of losing Vlaar. Most significantly, Vlaar is extremely injury prone and is about to turn 30. Selling the Villa captain will sting, but it is the right move to make in the long-term.

Delph’s situation is much less clear. The midfielder is younger, has stayed relatively healthy in recent years and continues to improve every season. However, he will have no shortage of suitors over the summer that could attract him away from Villa Park.

That Villa manager Paul Lambert has been unsuccessful in convincing Delph to renew his contract by this point is very worrisome and cannot be ignored.

While Villa should make all possible efforts to tie him down to a new deal this month, they must be prepared to entertain offers for the Englishman if there is no progress in negotiating a new contract with Delph.

Has Tom Cleverley Earned a Permanent Deal?

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Another player whose future at Villa Park must be determined is on-loan midfielder Tom Cleverley. The Englishman has been a regular starter this season and has been a solid performer. His calm demeanor and accurate passing have made him a suitable replacement for the departed Karim El Ahmadi.

However, his performances have hardly caught the eye and it is hard to argue that Cleverley has been irreplaceable in the middle of the park. In fact, his similarity in style to Ashley Westwood has often been a detriment to the team when the two are fielded together. 

According to Sky Sports, Lambert has indicated that he wants to sign Cleverley permanently, but that the fee involved could complicate matters. It is still unclear how much cash Lambert will have to spend this January and using it all on Cleverley might not be prudent.

While Villa are a better team with Cleverley than without him, he is not a game-changing player, and Lambert should only offer him a permanent deal if it does not take up the majority of Villa's transfer budget for the window. There are other needs that must be addressed as well.

Are Reinforcements Coming to Help Bolster the Attack?

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One storyline that will once again be a prevalent issue for Villa during the transfer window is their outstanding need to bolster their attack with a creative presence. This has been an issue for three seasons running now and still must be addressed.

Lambert seemed comfortable with entrusting three players who did not play a part last season to fill this void, but none of these men has made a big impact. Charles N'Zogbia remains a favourite of the manager, but he has been abysmal since returning from a long-term injury that kept him out last season. Simply put, N'Zogbia is a liability whenever he plays.

New signing Joe Cole has been effective when fit, but he has featured in just four matches this season due to his inability to remain healthy. Finally, Jack Grealish has great potential and tremendous backing from the fans, but Lambert seems reluctant to play Grealish for prolonged stretches due to his inexperience.

With this in mind, Villa desperately need to sign a player or two to offer service for Christian Benteke. The Belgian striker has been tasked with too many responsibilities, and his form is suffering as a result. Taking a chance on an out-of-favour player such as Mohamed Salah or Andros Townsend would be the ideal situation for Villa. 

Is Aly Cissokho the Left-Back Going Forward?

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Yet another recurring transfer need for Villa during Lambert's time at the club has been finding a reliable left-back. Joe Bennett, Antonio Luna and Ryan Bertrand have all come and gone on the left side of the defence where Aly Cissokho has been Villa's regular starter this year.

Cissokho started strongly and was a major part of Villa's impressive opening to the season. With great athleticism that helps him keep pace with opposing wingers, Cissokho has been successful at preventing copious crosses from flying into Villa's penalty box.

However, his positioning, particularly when defending the back post, has been suspect and has been a cause for concern. Additionally, he is not a good crosser himself, and the left-back often squanders good chances with a poor final ball or by hesitating to get to the byline.

Interestingly, despite this mixed start to his Villa career, the French defender has reportedly garnered interest from the likes of Tottenham and Napoli, according to Sky Sports. 

While Villa will likely not want to part with one of their starting defenders, Villa could find a more balanced left-back. Lambert should at least consider accepting a reasonable bid for his services if he does not believe that Cissokho can be relied upon going forward.