SerpApi.Org
Aston Villa have agreed a deal to sign Alejandro Garnacho on loan as the Chelsea winger looks to put his career back on track.
The Argentina international will sign with the Midlands club on an initial loan with Unai Emery understood to be convinced he can revive his career after a disappointing season at Stamford Bridge.
Emery is targeting the addition of wide players this summer to give his squad more pace and unpredictability, with Paris St-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye also under consideration.
Chelsea signed Morgan Rogers for a record £117m from Villa on Tuesday, but negotiations for Garnacho are separate from that.
While the two deals are not connected, it comes a year after Uefa said to Chelsea and Villa they will scrutinise transactions between the clubs to ensure fees have not been inflated.
Uefa said it looked at “transactions involving the exchange of players [so called ‘swaps’]” and that those “required specific adjustments to the club’s financial result”.
Chelsea signed Omari Kellyman for £19m from Villa in 2024 and academy product Ian Maatsen went the other way for £37.5m.
Villa are also eyeing a move for Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson, who played under Emery at Villarreal and was on loan at Bayern Munich last season.
The move for Garnacho is likely to polarise opinion among Villa’s supporters after the 22-year-old struggled to make an impact at Chelsea.
Signed from Manchester United last summer for a fee of about £40m, he only started 22 matches in all competitions and scored just one Premier League goal.
However, Emery is optimistic that he can get Garnacho firing again with Villa also able to offer him the incentive of Champions League football in the forthcoming season.
Xabi Alonso, Chelsea’s new manager, has given Garnacho permission to stay away from pre-season training as he looks to secure a move away. Serie A club Roma have also been in talks to sign him but are now moving for West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville.
“The situation is we have spoken with the sports directors, and there’s an interest in him from other clubs,” Alonso said last week regarding Garnacho. “So let’s see how it develops, but hopefully it finishes in the best possible ways for all parties.”
Villa remain in talks with AC Milan over the signing of former Brighton and Hove Albion left-back Pervis Estupinan.
The Ecuador international is regarded as a straight replacement for Lucas Digne, who is poised to join PSG after the French champions triggered his £8.5m release clause.
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