By TOM COLLOMOSSE, FOOTBALL REPORTER

Published: 15:31, 16 January 2026 | Updated: 15:31, 16 January 2026

Boubacar Kamara is to have further assessments next week on a knee injury with Aston Villa desperate for their midfielder to avoid a long spell on the sidelines.

The Frenchman is arguably Villa’s key player and their results when he is in the team are significantly better than when he is not. Kamara had to go off early in Villa’s FA Cup win at Tottenham last weekend and must now undergo further checks.

‘We are checking him and he is visiting some doctors and we are going to know about him in a few days, but of course he is not available and maybe for a long time,’ said Villa boss Unai Emery. ‘Hopefully it will not be such a long time but we are checking him.’

Even though Emery was reluctant to discuss potential new signings on Friday, Tammy Abraham is open to returning to Villa after spending a successful loan spell with the club in the 2018-19 season.