Editing Aston Villa F.C. (section)

===Championship to Champions League (2016–present)===
In June 2016, Chinese businessman [[Tony Xia]] bought the club for £76 million.<ref>{{cite news|title=Aston Villa: Dr Tony Xia completes takeover of Championship club|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36522094|access-date=13 November 2016|work=BBC Sport|date=14 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113175805/http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36522094|archive-date=13 November 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Former Chelsea boss [[Roberto Di Matteo]] was appointed as the club's new manager, but was sacked after just 12 games following a poor start to the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Roberto di Matteo: Aston Villa sack manager 124 days after he takes charge|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37534496|publisher=BBC|access-date=4 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003083755/http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37534496|archive-date=3 October 2016|url-status=live|date=3 October 2016}}</ref> He was replaced by former Birmingham manager [[Steve Bruce]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Aston Villa: Steve Bruce appointed manager of Championship club|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37610020|access-date=13 November 2016|work=BBC Sport|date=12 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029093305/http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37610020|archive-date=29 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Bruce led the team to finish fourth in the 2017–18 season, but lost in the [[2018 EFL Championship play-off final]] to [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]].

Following failure to secure promotion to the [[Premier League]], the club faced significant financial difficulties. Following rumours that [[Administration (British football)|administration]] was imminent, Xia looked to sell the club.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Gregg |date=28 June 2018 |title=Exclusive: Tony Xia in talks to sell Aston Villa |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/exclusive-tony-xia-talks-sell-14833584 |access-date=25 February 2024 |website=Birmingham Live |language=en}}</ref> On 20 July 2018 it was announced that the [[V Sports|NSWE Group]], a consortium consisting of Egyptian billionaire [[Nassef Sawiris]] and the American billionaire [[Wes Edens]], were to invest in the football club. They purchased a controlling 55% stake in the club, and Sawiris took over the role of club chairman, appointing [[Christian Purslow]] as CEO.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/07/20/club-statement-investment-in-aston-villa|publisher=Aston Villa F.C.|last1=Official|first1=AVFC|title=Club statement: Investment in Aston Villa|date=20 July 2018|access-date=20 July 2018|archive-date=4 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104163109/https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/07/20/club-statement-investment-in-aston-villa|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Jack Grealish aug 2014.jpg|thumb|upright|In 2021, Aston Villa sold [[Jack Grealish]] to Manchester City for a British record £100 million.]]
In October 2018, Bruce was sacked after winning only once in a nine match stretch.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45382413|title=Steve Bruce: Aston Villa sack manager after one win in nine league games|date=3 October 2018|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003183953/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45382413|archive-date=3 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He was replaced by [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] manager and boyhood Villa fan [[Dean Smith (footballer, born 1971)|Dean Smith]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45818275|title=Dean Smith: Aston Villa appoint new head coach with John Terry as assistant|date=10 October 2018|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011114122/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45818275|archive-date=11 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/john-terry-appointed-aston-villa-assistant-as-smith-named/unpc5jn8fk5d1spqahk9j9vzk|title=John Terry appointed Aston Villa assistant as Smith named manager {{!}} Goal.com|access-date=2 November 2018|archive-date=4 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804223436/https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/john-terry-appointed-aston-villa-assistant-as-smith-named/unpc5jn8fk5d1spqahk9j9vzk|url-status=dead}}</ref> who led the team to fifth place, and reaching the playoffs again—helped on by a club-record 10 league game winning streak. They reached the [[2019 EFL Championship play-off final]] and defeated [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] 2–1 to gain promotion back to the Premier League after a three-year absence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48331145|title=Championship play-off final: Aston Villa 2-1 Derby County|work=BBC Sport|date=27 May 2019|access-date=27 May 2019|archive-date=5 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305124048/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48331145|url-status=live}}</ref>

On the eve of Villa's Premier League return, [[Recon Group]]'s minority share ownership was bought out by NSWE, meaning Xia no longer had any stake in the club.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2019/08/09/tony-xia-leaves-aston-villa-with-former-owners-remaining-shareholding-wiped-out/|title=Tony Xia leaves Aston Villa with former owner's remaining shareholding wiped out|last=Maher|first=Matt|date=9 August 2019|work=Express & Star|access-date=9 August 2019|archive-date=9 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809140800/https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2019/08/09/tony-xia-leaves-aston-villa-with-former-owners-remaining-shareholding-wiped-out/|url-status=live}}</ref> Villa's first season back in the Premier League saw a significant overhaul of the squad, with 12 players signed during the summer transfer window. The team battled relegation for most of the season, but stayed up on the final day with a 17th-place finish.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53545006|title=Aston Villa staying up better than play-off win - Dean Smith|work=BBC Sport|date=26 July 2020|access-date=27 July 2020|archive-date=27 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727231753/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53545006|url-status=live}}</ref> In Villa's second season back in the Premier League, Smith oversaw an 11th-place finish, but was unable to persuade star player and captain [[Jack Grealish]] to remain at the club after Manchester City's British-record £100 million bid triggered his release clause. Following a poor start to the 2021–22 season, which saw seven losses in the club's opening 11 games, Dean Smith was dismissed.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=7 November 2021|title=Aston Villa Club Statement|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/07/club-statement-dean-smith/|url-status=live|access-date=7 November 2021|website=Aston Villa Football Club|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107133650/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/07/club-statement-dean-smith/ |archive-date=7 November 2021 }}</ref>

Aston Villa appointed former [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] and England captain [[Steven Gerrard]] as head coach on 11 November 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/11/villa-announce-steven-gerrard-as-head-coach/|title=Villa announce Steven Gerrard as Head Coach|date=11 November 2021 |access-date=11 November 2021|archive-date=11 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111101556/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/11/villa-announce-steven-gerrard-as-head-coach/|url-status=live}}</ref> After a poor start to the 2022–23 season, in which Villa won just twice and scored only seven goals in their opening 11 games, Gerrard was sacked in October 2022,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62775410 | title=Aston Villa sack Gerrard after defeat by Fulham | work=BBC Sport | access-date=21 October 2022 | archive-date=20 October 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020215348/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62775410 | url-status=live }}</ref> and replaced by four-time [[Europa League]]-winning Spanish manager [[Unai Emery]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Aston Villa appoint Emery as Gerrard's successor |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63379963 |access-date=13 June 2023 |archive-date=11 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111103408/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63379963 |url-status=live }}</ref> He led Villa to 7th place and qualification for the [[Europa Conference League]] in his first season.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Villa qualify for Europe after 13-year absence|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65661853|access-date=13 June 2023|archive-date=13 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613091316/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65661853|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2023–24 season, Emery led the club to the [[2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League|Conference League semi-finals]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Lille 2–1 Aston Villa |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68840324/ |first=Neil |last=Johnston |date=18 April 2024 |access-date=22 April 2024 |work=BBC Sport}}</ref> where they were knocked out by [[Olympiacos F.C.|Olympiacos]], and a 4th-place finish in the league, securing participation in the [[UEFA Champions League]] for the first time since 1982–83.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c51nn7yw1vgo |title=Aston Villa reach Champions League for first time |publisher=BBC Sport |date=14 May 2024 }}</ref>