Sports
ASTON Villa have signed Paris St-Germain midfielder Marco Asensio and Chelsea defender Axel Disasi on loan until the end of the season.
The duo follow the arrivals of Marcus Rashford, Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia at Villa Park during the winter transfer window.
Villa will reportedly cover the wages of three-time Champions League winner Asensio but do not have an option to make the move permanent.
They will pay a £5m fee to loan Disasi but again there is no purchase option.
Villa sold Colombia striker Jhon Duran to Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr in a £71m deal and centre-back Diego Carlos to Fenerbahce for about £8.45m.
Earlier on Monday they loaned 21-year-old winger Samuel Iling-Junior to Middlesbrough for the rest of the season.
Villa completed the loan signing of Manchester United forward Rashford, 27 – which includes an option to buy for £40m – on Sunday.
The Netherlands forward Malen, 26, joined Villa for £19m from Borussia Dortmund three weeks ago, while Spanish full-back Garcia, 21, joined from Levante for a reported fee of £6m with a further £1m in add-ons.
Asensio bolsters attack
Asensio has scored seven goals in 47 appearances for PSG since joining from Real Madrid in the summer of 2023.
The 29-year-old helped the club win the French title last season, but this term he has made just eight league starts.
He was also part of the Spain squad that won the Nations League in 2023.
Villa boss Unai Emery said his side needed new players following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Wolves, which left the club eighth in the Premier League.
“Unai is a coach that I’ve known for a while,” Asensio told Villa’s club website.
“He’s had a great career, he’s a top coach, he’s been key in me being able to come here because of his idea of how he wants to play football.
“I love it – it suits me perfectly and he’s a really important person as to why I’m here right now.”
Asensio could make his Villa debut alongside Rashford against Tottenham in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday (17:35 GMT) – a match that is live on BBC One and iPlayer.
Disasi eases injury woes
Villa beat Tottenham to the signing of Disasi after he appeared to be heading to north London, though they left it late to complete the deal on Monday night.
It is understood the 26-year-old preferred to join Villa, who are eighth in the Premier League table and have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League.
Disasi will give Emery a much-needed option in central defence following the sale of Carlos to Fenerbahce.
Centre-backs Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings are sidelined with foot and knee injuries respectively, meaning midfielder Boubacar Kamara has been used as a makeshift defender.
Disasi will not be able to face Tottenham on Sunday because he is cup-tied.
Disasi – a transfer deadline day rollercoaster
By Nizaar Kinsella
Disasi is the winter saga that many didn’t realise they needed.
The defender initially wanted to stay and fight for his place – as reported on BBC Sport earlier this month – but he was told in no uncertain terms that it would be better to leave Chelsea.
Both Villa and Tottenham emerged as suitors on deadline but Spurs quickly went cold on signing the France international after feeling he didn’t want to join.
His agents then, seemingly out of nowhere, appeared to convince Disasi that Spurs was a better option but they ultimately lost out to Villa.
What actually went on behind the scenes was a player caught between the two sides arguing their case – with Chelsea receiving similar terms regardless of where he went.
bbcsport
A.I
Feb. 4, 2025
Tags:
