Aston Villa close to Bertrand Traore Deadline Day agreement with Villarreal after transfer green light – Fabrizio Romano
Aston Villa are close to reaching an agreement over the transfer of Bertrand Traore to Villarreal on Deadline Day, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Italian journalist posted on X (1 February) that Villa are allowing the 28-year-old forward to depart before the 11pm deadline after they received the green light to sign Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough.
Traore moved to Villa Park in September 2020 but struggled to nail down a regular starting spot and spent the first half of the 2022-23 season on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir.
Good business
It has never quite worked out for former Chelsea forward Traore at Villa Park and, at the age of 28, it makes sense to let him to depart now because frankly he is unlikely to displace either Moussa Diaby or Leon Bailey from the starting XI.
It makes even more sense considering Villa have added Rogers to their ranks, the 21-year-old representing a younger, hungrier option with much more resale value – an important factor considering this age of Profit and Sustainability difficulties for most of the Premier League.
In total Traore managed just nine goals in 55 Premier League appearances for Villa and has only been used twice in the top flight by boss Unai Emery this season in a campaign where Villa have impressed hugely.
A switch to LaLiga with Villarreal, Emery’s former club, makes sense for all parties and it boosts the Spanish club’s options after they allowed Ben Brereton Diaz to join Sheffield United earlier this month.
In other Aston Villa news, one player is expected to depart immediately on loan after joining the club.
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