Aston Villa complete their first transfer of the summer window clear-out

Aston Villa transfer news and gossip as midfielder Morgan Sanson has reportedly earned himself a permanent move to Nice

Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Sanson’s time at the club has come to an end, reports in France are confirming. Sanson left Villa Park to join Nice last summer after it became apparent that he wasn’t in new manager Unai Emery’s plans going forwards, and he returned to his native France in order to secure regular minutes.

Sanson, 29, joined Villa under Dean Smith in January 2021 from Marseille for around £14m, but he struggled to break into the Lions’ first-team even back then with the likes of John McGinn and Douglas Luiz the immediate rivals for places. That competition has steadily increased after the arrivals of Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans, as well as the breakthrough of Jacob Ramsey from the academy.

Sanson made just six league starts for Villa and his only goal for the club came in the shock FA Cup defeat to Stevenage under Emery last season. He was swiftly loaned out to Strasbourg for the second half of that campaign, but he returned initially to Villa last summer after a permanent move couldn’t be secured. Nice’s deal, though, included clauses in the loan which, if triggered, would confirm a permanent deal.

Earlier this season, Sanson outlined his hopes that an extended stay at Nice was on the cards. “Yes, of course [I want to stay],” he told Get French Football News. “Florent Ghisolfi [the Nice sporting director] has said the same thing that he wants me involved in the project for the long term. Even if there is a permanent option with clauses that are very much attainable, I think I’ll be here for a while. I will do everything to ensure that the option is triggered.”

Sanson played in his 28th league game of Nice’s season on Friday night, as they beat Le Havre 1-0 to ensure that they’d be playing European football of some kind next term; they can still finish in the Champions League places, but for now they’re fifth and seven points clear of seventh placed Lyon with two games left to play. Sanson’s only two goals this term have come in the last few weeks, in wins over Lorient and former side Strasbourg.

GFFN now report that the clauses Sanson was required to trigger – related to appearances and Nice’s league finish – have been addressed and now he will sign a permanent contract and bid farewell to Villa, a goodbye which was always on the cards this summer. Villa also have still decisions to make on the likes of Leander Dendoncker, who is on loan at Napoli, and Philippe Coutinho this summer.

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