Aston Villa

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Alejandro Garnacho is aiming to "get my confidence back" and "become the player I was a few years ago" during his season-long loan spell at Villa Park.

The 22-year-old's transfer from Chelsea will become permanent next summer if certain undisclosed conditions are met, with the Argentina international already agreeing a four-year contract in principle.

"This is an important club which is going up really quickly, so I can't wait to get started here," Garnacho said in his first club interview, external.

"I was looking for a club to get my confidence back, so I can try to become the player I was a few years ago in my first years at Manchester United.

"I spoke with the manager and he gave me the confidence to try to help the team here - that's why I'm here.

"It is important to play in European competitions and the Champions League is the best one, so the fact we are playing in it this season makes me really happy. Hopefully we can do something important in it."

The winger, who is Villa's fourth signing of the transfer window, already has three major honours to his name - the Copa America, FA Cup and League Cup.

"I like to play on the left wing," Garnacho continued. "I'm right-footed. I like to run, dribble and cross. I like to come inside and shoot. This is everything I will need to do to get my confidence back properly and perform on the pitch.

"Villa Park is one of my favourite stadiums in the league, and now it will be my new home. I'm really happy to be here and I can't wait to meet the fans."

Aston Villa are interested in signing 25-year-old Everton and England midfielder James Garner this summer. (Football Insider), external

Meanwhile, defender Ezri Konsa is are among Arsenal's targets as they look to cover for the injured William Saliba. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Garnacho arrives at Aston Villa still with more promise than pedigree.

Emery has shown faith in moving for the eight-cap Argentina international as he looks to rebuild his squad at Villa Park.

With Rogers moving to Stamford Bridge for a club-record sale of £117m, the club needed to act.

They have been fluid in the market, an important stance given their finances and the general nature of the window, and Garnacho - who also interested Roma - represented a good opportunity.

Emery wanted a pacy winger and, with the option of an initial loan with an obligation to buy if certain clauses are met, the deal also gave Villa a degree of control over finances given they must still tread lightly with the Premier League's and Uefa's financial fair play rules.

Should the move become permanent - and Garnacho has already agreed a four-year contract - then he will have achieved something other attackers have not when on loan at Villa.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott joined previously with varying degrees of success in their temporary moves.

Rashford's 17-game spell at Villa Park in 2024-25 led to an England return, while Sancho flattered to deceive and Emery left Elliott in limbo with his decision not to play him more to avoid triggering an obligation for a permanent transfer.

Clearly surplus to requirements at Chelsea, Garnacho does not want to return to somewhere he is not needed.

A return of one goal and four assists in 24 Premier League games for the Blues last season - or eight goals in 43 appearances in all competitions - suggests he will need to raise his game to meet the level Emery demands.

Eight assists and 16 goals in 93 games at Manchester United also shows Garnacho's end product must improve at Villa.

There is clearly talent there and it is now up to him to show it, and for Emery to harness it.

Image source, Getty Images

Another season, means another club for Alejandro Garnacho.

The 22-year-old's debut season at Chelsea didn't go to plan and some Aston Villa fans may not be overly excited knowing he only scored one goal in 24 league appearances for the Blues.

However, Villa boss Unai Emery said Garnacho "showed us his wish to help our project" and that he is "delighted" with the loan signing.

Garnacho, who has eight caps for Argentina but missed out on the squad for the World Cup this summer, said: "I spoke with Unai before I came here. He gave me the confidence - I'm really happy, and I can't wait to meet the fans."

Less than a year ago, Garnacho joined what he called "the best team in the world" when Chelsea announced the £40m signing of the Manchester United youngster.

Some 337 days later and the Blues have loaned the 22-year-old out to Villa.

Garnacho's time at Stamford Bridge was overseen by three different managers - Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior and Calum Mcfarlane.

After featuring heavily under Maresca at the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Garnacho started only seven of Rosenior's first 20 games in charge.

Overall, the forward managed managed eight goals and four assists.

Although Garnacho arguably lacked goalscoring form and a creative flair at Stamford Bridge, he wasn't short on that front during the 2024-25 campaign for Manchester United.

In a season when United were led by first Erik ten Hag and then Ruben Amorim, Garnacho scored 10 goals and assisted 11.

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We asked you to pick one player you would like to move on this summer and one realistic target you want Aston Villa to bring in before the transfer window shuts.

Here are some of your suggestions:

Gill: Leon Bailey should be moved on. Nicolas Jackson would be a possible player to bring in, as he has worked with Unai Emery previous. I would like to see some of our younger players given more game time as well.

Stephen: Bailey needs to be moved on as he hasn't been a consistent performer. I would like to see Rafael Leao from AC Milan come in to add some pace and power to the attack. He's probably out of our price range, but a good loan option.

Rob: I'd like to see Evann Guessand moved on this summer. He just doesn't have the pace to compete in the Premier League and he loses possession too easily. Thankfully we've got cover in his position, so I'd rather we get a deal for Pervis Estupinan over the line to give us cover at left-back while we're waiting for Lucas Digne's exit to be confirmed.

Graham: In: Jonathan Rowe from Bologna. He would be my pick for a winger as he ran rings round us in the Europa League quarter-final. Out: Digne. He is already on his way to Paris St-Germain.

Chay: Any of the following can be moved on this summer: Mings, Barkley, Bailey and Gauci - mainly because of age and lack of playing time, as well as not having enough impact when playing. I would like to see Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris St-Germain join Villa. We need more attacking force since we have lost, arguably, our strongest attacking players in Tielemans and Rogers.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa are in talks to loan Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea, just days after the Blues made the Villans' Morgan Rogers the most expensive British footballer in history with their £117m purchase.

But what's the thought process behind the loan deal - and how does Unai Emery's previous interest in Liverpool's Harvey Elliott and Newcastle's William Osula, plus Jacob Ramsey's move to St James' Park, relate to it?

Well, Liverpool's Elliott joined Villa on loan last summer with an obligation to buy if the midfielder made 10 Premier League appearances.

By October, Unai Emery had decided he did not want to commit £35m on Elliott, who was left in limbo and ended the season with just nine appearances.

There was a feeling from some in the game that Villa's treatment of Elliott - in changing their minds about signing him - could easily put others off joining on a similar arrangement, due to potentially losing a year of their career.

In Osula's case, Villa were close to a deal last summer, but they could not finalise it because of Uefa's rules.

They sold midfielder Jacob Ramsey to the Magpies for £40m to help comply with the Premier League and Uefa's financial regulations, but then could not move for Osula as Uefa would have viewed it as a swap deal.

Read more on the transfer situation here

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

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Alejandro Garnacho's only season at Chelsea did not go to plan, a fact perhaps best illustrated by his solitary Premier League goal.

In his defence, he started only nine matches following Liam Rosenior's appointment - a 29-game period that also included Calum McFarlane's second spell as interim manager at the end of the campaign.

In total, Garnacho scored a more respectable eight goals and provided four assists in 43 appearances last season.

However, aside from two goals against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup, his other strikes came against lesser opposition, including Qarabag, Wrexham, Port Vale and Cardiff City.

It became apparent that Garnacho was beginning to lose the support of some supporters because of a perceived lack of work-rate.

There were also occasions when he was criticised for failing to track his runner, such as during the Blues' home defeat by West Ham, when he was substituted at half-time after being involved in the build-up to two opposition goals.

Sources have told BBC Sport that Garnacho remained professional and worked hard behind the scenes, which bodes well for his future.

In a late-season interview with Premier League Productions, the former Manchester United winger admitted he had done some "bad things" at Old Trafford because he was not playing enough.

Others familiar with Chelsea's dressing room dynamics said Garnacho struggled to integrate fully into the group and often cut a distant figure.

However, there is no significant controversy surrounding his departure from Stamford Bridge. The Blues simply viewed him as a player they were willing to move on as part of their efforts to improve the squad.

Read more: Garnacho, Rogers and two clubs trying to balance books

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Just hours after Chelsea made Morgan Rogers the most expensive British footballer in history by spending £117m to sign him from Aston Villa, they are in talks to loan Alejandro Garnacho to the Villains.

Why did Villa pursue a loan with a conditional obligation to buy rather than buying Garnacho outright?

Here are the key questions answered...

How do Villa benefit from this deal?

Put simply, Villa have control - and it could reduce the cost for them this season.

By signing Garnacho on loan they do not have a longer-term commitment to a winger who has flattered to deceive at Stamford Bridge and has not enhanced his reputation.

The loan market is important to Villa.

Any obligation in a contract needs to be met to trigger a permanent deal, and Villa have used these deals with success in the past, including signing Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United before deciding against a permanent deal.

"If it is linked to the number of matches he starts then, to a certain extent, Villa are in control under those circumstances," football finance expert Kieran Maguire said.

"The rules are the rules. Some people say: 'Well, that's a loophole.' Some people will say: 'Well, they're as written and you have to treat them accordingly.'"

Read more here on Villa's attempts to balance the books here

With the 2026 World Cup done and dusted, the return of club football is back on everyone's minds.

Pre-season preparations are under way and we want you to have a think about Aston Villa's squad.

Tell us one player you would like to move on this summer and one realistic target you want Villa to bring in before the transfer window shuts.

Get in touch with your picks here

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We asked for your views on Alejandro Garnacho with Aston Villa in advanced talks for his signature.

Here are some of your comments:

Conor: Emery sure does love a challenge. I can't say I've ever been impressed by Garnacho but he has shown flashes of his potential. He is only 22 but needs a serious attitude change and his brother might need to delete a few of his Villa related tweets!

Johnson: I am personally not convinced by Garnacho. He's talented don't get me wrong and on his day he's a tough nut to crack. But his attitude and behaviour does concern me. I read this is being personally driven by Emery though, so hopefully Emery can tune the best of him and we see him flourish with us.

Tony: He doesn't look great and this sounds like another Harvey Elliot situation. Plus he'll be on big money. It'd be a no from me.

Prit: Under no circumstance should Aston Villa loan/buy Garnacho. He proved a disruptive force at Old Trafford and last season with Chelsea. I just can't see him knuckling down and working with Emery.

Aaron: A bit of a Prima Donna at times and should just concentrate on his potential within the team! Time will tell!

Chris: Please do not sign - he will not be a good fit for Villa.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Tammy Abraham is happy at Aston Villa and is not looking to leave the club this summer.

Villa are reportedly open to offers for the striker but Abraham has no desire to quit Villa Park just six months after returning.

The club are looking for another striker, with Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson being considered, while Ollie Watkins has interest from Fenerbahce in Turkey.

But there are no plans for Abraham to look at exit options, having signed a four-and-a-half year deal in January.

He started just two Premier League games after arriving for £18.25m from Besiktas.

The former Chelsea, Roma and AC Milan striker scored three times in 16 appearances in all competitions but was an unused substitute in Villa's Europa League final win over Freiburg in May.

Abraham was available within Villa's price range and one of the reasons boss Unai Emery wanted Abraham was because he knew the club and would not take long to settle in, following his loan at the club in 2018-19.

The 28-year-old wanted to come back to the UK as it was felt it would give him a better chance of returning to the international scene, with his last cap for England coming four years ago.

He has three goals in 11 games for the Three Lions.

Abraham scored 26 goals in all competitions to help Villa return to the Premier League when they won the Championship play-offs, beating Derby 2-1 in 2019.

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa eased to an opening friendly win of pre-season, hammering Walsall 5-0.

New signing Joao Gomes made his debut as 23 players were used by Unai Emery at the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.

Brian Madjo's found the net twice in the opening half, either side of a George Hemmings' finish. Under-21 players Luka Lynch and Aidan Borland struck after the interval.

Villa take on Porto in Portugal on Saturday and then meet Real Sociedad at the Bescot Stadium on Tuesday 28 July.

Hannah Gowen
Fan writer

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Aston Villa are no strangers to selling some of their most prized assets.

It wasn't too long ago that the club parted ways with academy darling Jack Grealish for a then British record £100m. More recently, there were PSR-juggling deals for Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey.

While Morgan Rogers' departure is another bitter reminder of the financial gap between Villa and their peers, it is a mammoth profit on a young player at the opportune moment.

Rogers arrived at Villa as a relative unknown - a Manchester City academy graduate with a year in the Championship under his belt. He was thrown in at the deep end and quickly became a guaranteed starter under Unai Emery.

In his two and a half years in claret and blue, Rogers amassed well in excess of 100 appearances, more than 50 goal contributions, a PFA Young Player of the Year award and, most importantly, a European trophy.

There is no doubt Emery is losing one of the most exciting young British talents of the past few years. The Midlands boy has had a significant impact on the team, and for that he will be etched into club history.

However, for too long, those in charge at Villa have failed to capitalise on player values at the right time. The £117m fee, with a portion heading back to Middlesborough, is a sum that helps towards a partial squad rebuild, with Johan Manzambi and Joao Gomes already through the doors.

This comes at a pivotal moment, too, as Emery looks to build on last season's European glory. The squad that finished the last campaign was aging, with many players on high wages and running deep into their contracts. A refresh of faces felt inevitable.

Football is a business, now more than ever, and there is very little room for sentimentality.

For fans, Rogers departs on a high, and leaves behind a plethora of unforgettable memories. From here, recruitment and reinvestment of receipts will be critical for the next chapter of success at Aston Villa.

Find more from Hannah Gowen at UTV, external

Now the dust has settled on the 2026 World Cup, you can officially review your Predictor results for the tournament.

If you played more than four rounds, BBC Sport has done a deep dive into your predictions, tournament performance and compared you to other players.

Don't worry, though, Predictor isn't stopping at international tournaments! Pre-season has kicked off and there are plenty of friendlies and European qualifiers to keep us occupied before the new season gets under way.

So how do you fancy your chances of correctly predicting the scores for our six selected matches every week?

BBC Sport has launched a new weekly Predictor game to cover the 2026-27 season, allowing users to pick what they think will be the result from six fixtures from across the leagues.

There will usually be a Friday deadline and the game will also feature streaks, so make sure to build it into your weekly football habits.

Lock in your first round of predictions before Friday, 24 July here

If you're wondering how to play, here are a few easy steps:

• Click on the link above to take you to the selections page.

• For every match, you either choose a winning team or select a draw - once your prediction has been submitted you won't be able to change it, so be sure to pick carefully.

• Then wait for the results to roll in to see how you have done.

• Share your results with your friends and family.

• Every consecutive round you play adds one to your streak, but if you miss a round then your streak will reset to zero.

Aston Villa's Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, 33, is a target for Juventus while Arsenal are interested in Villa's 28-year-old England defender Ezri Konsa. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Mohamed Moallim
BBC Sport Journalist

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The Premier League's financial landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade. Since 2016 total summer transfer spending has risen from £1.16bn to a record £3.19bn in 2025 – an increase of almost 175%.

On the surface, that suggests transfer figures are continuing to accelerate. Headline fees, though, tell only part of the story.

Research by Kieran Maguire and colleagues at the University of Liverpool suggests some of the Premier League's earlier record signings represented even greater investments when measured against clubs' buying power at the time.

Using Premier League broadcasting revenues as an index, Alan Shearer's £15m move from Blackburn Rovers to Newcastle United in 1996 remains the league's biggest transfer relative to clubs' spending power. Rio Ferdinand's £29.1m move to Manchester United in 2002 and Juan Sebastian Veron's £28.1m arrival at Old Trafford in 2001 also rank above any of this summer's blockbuster deals.

The same model suggests Trevor Francis' £1m move from Birmingham City to Forest in 1979 – English football's first £1m transfer – would equate to about £173m in today's market.

That does not mean the fees paid for Morgan Rogers, Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali were modest. Rather, it reflects how dramatically Premier League revenues have grown, allowing clubs to spend sums that would once have been unimaginable.

When Jack Grealish became Britain's first £100m footballer when joining City from Villa in 2021, the transfer marked another turning point in the evolution of the market.

Only five years later, nine-figure deals are no longer viewed as extraordinary. They have become a familiar feature of Premier League transfer windows.

The next milestone may not be far away.

While no Premier League club has yet paid £200m for a player, football's financial ceiling continues to rise and the first transfer of that magnitude no longer feels beyond the realms of possibility.

• Read more on transfer fee evolution

Image source, Getty Images

So, Aston Villa are in advanced talks to sign Alejandro Garnacho on loan from Chelsea, with a potential obligation to buy.

It follows Chelsea agreeing a record £117m fee for Morgan Rogers.

If finalised, Garnacho would be Villa's fourth signing in a busy summer of incomings and outgoings, with player sales out of Villa Park totalling nearly £200m.

Would you be happy with the signing? If not, who would you rather see replace Rogers?

Get in touch with your views here

Aston Villa are weighing up a move for Crysencio Summerville as they look to replace 23-year-old England attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers, who is set to join Chelsea. (Talksport), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport