Aston Villa in advanced talks to sign Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea

Aston Villa in advanced talks to sign Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea Aston Villa are in advanced negotiations with Chelsea over a deal for winger Alejandro Garnacho as Unai Emery looks to strengthen his attacking options before the new season. According to multiple reports , discussions are centred on an initial season-long loan with a conditional obligation to buy, although the structure of the agreement is still being finalised. No deal has yet been completed, but talks between the two clubs are understood to be progressing. Emery is believed to be driving Villa’s interest after identifying Garnacho as one of his priority attacking targets. The Villa manager was also keen on signing the Argentina international last summer before the winger ultimately left Manchester United for Chelsea. That long-standing admiration is thought to have played a key role in convincing Garnacho that Villa Park could be the right destination. Serie A side AS Roma have also explored a move for the 22-year-old, but Villa are currently regarded as the frontrunners to secure his signature. The proposed transfer is separate from Chelsea’s club-record £117 million signing of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, with the two deals not financially linked. Villa have already moved quickly to reshape their squad following Rogers’ departure. The Midlands club recently completed the signing of Johan Manzambi from Freiburg and are now focused on adding further quality in the wide areas. Garnacho has emerged as one of several options considered by Villa, alongside Paris Saint-Germain youngster Ibrahim Mbaye and West Ham United winger Crysencio Summerville. Chelsea are understood to be open to Garnacho leaving after an inconsistent first campaign at Stamford Bridge. Following his £40 million move from Manchester United last summer, the Argentine found regular starts difficult to secure despite making valuable contributions throughout the season. He scored eight goals in all competitions but started only 14 Premier League matches as competition for attacking places limited his opportunities. Reports suggest new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso allowed Garnacho additional time away from pre-season training in order to resolve his future before the campaign begins. The winger previously established himself as one of Manchester United’s brightest academy graduates after making more than 140 senior appearances for the club. However, his relationship with United deteriorated before his departure, leading to last summer’s move across the Premier League. Villa now appear well placed to offer Garnacho the regular football he is seeking. If negotiations continue to progress, Emery could soon secure one of the Premier League’s most talented young attackers as Villa prepare for another campaign featuring both domestic and European football.