Do they? Who are the closest comparables to the type of signings they made this January? 4 recent Villa moves seem to be pretty direct parallels:
1. Coutinho - very unsuccessful, is still on their books but has been on perpetual loan conveyor belt.
2. Bailey - who has been (as described when signed) mercurial and frustrating, with flashes of good and many more flashes of useless.
3. Diaby - who was also mercurial and frustrating, but thankfully they were bailed out by Saudi Arabia
4. Lenglet - was bad, was depth so didn't matter that much I suppose
Aston Villa's business this summer checks all of the player mould boxes of their bad recent business, as opposed to the very savvy moves which have gotten them where they are now.
With the exception of Malen, they're all loans so the stakes are pretty low. But they have not historically gotten success from these types of signings