Aston Villa set to finalise signing of Ludwig Augustinsson, medical done – Fabrizio Romano
Aston Villa are set to complete the signing of Swedish left-back Ludwig Augustinsson, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The reliable journalist broke the story that Villa were closing in on the Sevilla defender on Saturday night (9 July) via his Twitter account.
In a fresh post, Romano has now reported that the deal has been completed after the player passed a medical ahead of his move to Villa Park.
According to Romano, he will arrive on an initial loan with an option to buy in a package worth €4.5millon (£3.8million).
Augustinsson will become the second player to arrive at Villa Park from Sevilla after Diego Carlos made the same move earlier in the summer.
A shrewd bit of business
Augustinsson is a somewhat surprising signing for Villa given the modest fee involved, but it is a very smart one.
The club did not need a flashy addition at left-back, hence why they passed on Aaron Hickey, so signing a cheaper option like Augustinsson is smart business.
Augustinsson is a player with a lot of pedigree behind him, after starring for Copenhagen and Werder Bremen before heading to Sevilla last summer.
Villa are already familiar with the 28-year-old, with Gregg Evans recalling via Twitter that Villa were tracking him all the way back in 2015.
He offers Villa a strong defensive option at the back, with the Swede winning 1.5 tackles per 90 minutes last season (FBRef).
Augustinsson also made two blocks and one interception per 90 minutes last season, offering a genuine alternative to the more attack-minded Lucas Digne.
This also lifts the burden on Digne’s shoulders as the only left-back at the club who can play every match, while also allowing Ashley Young to cover at right-back should Frederic Guilbert or Kaine Kesler leave.
While it is not the most exciting signing Villa have made this summer, it is nevertheless a shrewd one.
In other Aston Villa news, goalkeeper Viljami Sinsalo is heading out on loan.