Aston Villa agree deal to sign Chelsea forward Alejandro Garnacho | OneFootball

Aston Villa have agreed a deal with Chelsea for the signing of Alejandro Garnacho, according to The Athletic reporter David Ornstein.

The 22-year-old is set to join Villa on an initial season-long loan with a conditional obligation to make the move permanent at the end of the season.

Villa manager Unai Emery has reportedly been a long-term admirer of the Argentina international and was keen to sign him even before his move from Manchester United to Chelsea last summer.

After missing out then, Villa have now succeeded in bringing the winger to Birmingham. Garnacho has already completed his medical and is finalising the remaining details of the transfer.

If the conditions included in the agreement are met during the season, Villa will activate a permanent move, with the player already agreeing to a four-year contract.

This move comes after Chelsea completed the signing of Morgan Rogers from Villa in a deal worth a club-record £117 million.

That transfer set a new spending record for Chelsea, surpassing the £106m they paid for Enzo Fernandez in 2023.

Garnacho’s arrival is separate from that deal but helps Villa fill the gap left by Rogers’ departure.

Villa had explored several options for the wide attacking role, including Paris Saint-Germain youngster Ibrahim Mbaye and West Ham United winger Crysencio Summerville.

However, Emery identified Garnacho as his preferred target. He believes that the 22-year-old has the quality and Premier League experience to make an immediate impact.

The Argentine struggled to become a regular starter at Chelsea following his £40m move from United.

He started only 22 matches across all competitions, including 14 in the Premier League, and scored eight goals during his time at Stamford Bridge.

Before joining Chelsea, Garnacho spent five years at United, where he scored 26 goals in 144 appearances. Despite showing flashes of his talent, he eventually fell out of favour under former head coach Ruben Amorim.

Now presented with a fresh opportunity under Emery, Garnacho will hope to rediscover his best form and establish himself as a key player for Aston Villa.