What was initially expected to be a relatively quiet mid-season period is now being viewed in a different light.
Villa recognise an opportunity in front of them, and early January planning has shifted towards exploring how far they can push the bar.
At this stage, it is largely an exploratory process, with recruitment staff sounding out what level of forward might realistically be attainable.
Options are limited. The current feeling inside the club is that adding competition and rotation for Ollie Watkins would strengthen their credentials at the top end of the table.
Watkins has scored just three Premier League goals this season, yet continues to shoulder the bulk of the goalscoring expectation.
While goals have been shared around the squad, and Donyell Malen has picked up form in the past month, the opening four league games - a run in which Villa failed to find the net once - still lingers as a warning of how vulnerable they could become without a sharper edge in attack.
Ideally, Villa would target a Premier League-proven striker, but that route is complicated - not only by the scarcity of suitable options, but also by increased competition and a cautious approach to spending.
West Ham, Tottenham and Everton are among the clubs also seeking attacking reinforcements, making the market competitive.
Villa’s high league position - now just three points behind leaders Arsenal - does give them an advantage in attracting potential targets, yet maintaining that status during December could be key to convincing any player to join a potential title-chasing project.
Unai Emery will have a decisive voice in how the club pivot once the window opens and there is acceptance at senior level that any move must be executed with precision.
This is not a window in which Villa can afford to be financially bold, but with opportunity knocking, they are preparing to see just how far they can push this.
