Football
Exclusive: Unai Emery Targets Permanent Marco Asensio Signing Amid PSG Exit Signals
Aston Villa is eager to sign Marco Asensio permanently after an impressive loan spell, offering £15m plus add-ons. The Spain international helped Villa finish 6th and reach the Champions League quarter-finals. Asensio is surplus at PSG and keen to showcase his talent in the Premier League.
Aston Villa FC v Tottenham Hotspur FC - Premier League by Michael Steele | Getty Images
Aston Villa are desperate to sign former Paris St-German loan star Marco Asensio in a deal worth around £15million plus £2million in add-ons, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
Spain international Asensio dazzled with eight goals in 21 games on loan for Villa last season as they finished an impressive sixth place in the Premier League.
Villa boss Unai Emery is keen to recruit Asensio on a permanent deal, especially as the popular attacking midfielder helped the club reach the Champions League quarter-finals and FA Cup semi-finals in a season to savour for the West Midlands club.
Emery is also keen to strengthen with star forward Morgan Rogers being chased by Arsenal, and a number of other high-profile clubs understood to be monitoring the England international’s movements ahead of next season.
Asensio has a year left on his current deal but, perhaps tellingly, was excluded from the Champions League winners’ squad currently competing in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Our sources understand the 29-year-old former Real Madrid ace is now surplus to requirements at the Parc des Princes as PSG boss Luis Enrique continues to look to build a squad capable of defending their coveted European crown next season.
And if Villa can sign him now the transfer window has reopened, the club believes that would represent a smart piece of business.
LOAN STAR
Asensio, who has played 38 times for his country, joined Villa in February until the end of the season.
And the former La Liga man quickly made an impact and became a firm favourite at Villa Park for some strong performances.
He played 286 games for Real Madrid from 2016-2023 before PSG snapped him up on a three-year deal in July 2023.
Asensio struggled to cement a regular starting role for the Ligue 1 champions in a side littered with star-studded talent.
And after starting the season with the eventual Champions League winners he made the switch to England to test himself in the Premier League for the first time.
SportsBoom understands the midfielder would now love a full season in the Premier League to showcase his talent.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.