‘Zépiqueno Redmond to leave on loan’ as Aston Villa confirm transfer – Exclusive
Aston Villa have been waiting for the end of the financial year to launch into action.
PSR issues have been swirling around the West Midlands club, who elected not to make a permanent signing in June.
Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens have also alleviated some stress by following in Chelsea’s footsteps and agreeing to sell Villa’s women’s team, much to the dismay of their fanbase.
This means that, while they are still not out of the woods, the start of July has coincided with a flurry of activity, with Villa immediately confirming their first official signing.
Villa officially confirm the arrival of Zépiqueno Redmond
Villa kicked off their transfer window by officially announcing the signing of Zépiqueno Redmond on Tuesday (1 July).
His contract with Feyenoord expired, allowing Villa to swoop in for the 19-year-old one day after confirming that they will not be signing Marcus Rashford or Marco Asensio on a permanent deal.
The Under-19 Netherlands international made six senior appearances for his former side last season, mainly as a centre-forward, and has shown that he possesses the physicality that could translate into the Premier League.
Nevertheless, ex-Villa scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively with Villa News – believes that Redmond will leave on loan, with a move within the English Leagues preferred to help the striker adapt.
“Villa look pretty strong up front,” King said.
“Rashford has gone back to United, which could open the door for this kid to get a game or two along with Ollie Watkins. However, if he isn’t going to be a regular, they’ll be looking for a loan to the Championship or League One.
“That will allow Redmond to go and get accustomed to the English game. I think that is the most likely outcome, and the most sensible outcome.”
Redmond is not the signing Emery is hoping for
While Redmond arrives with plenty of promise, he is a far cry from the calibre of signing that Emery has been holding out for this summer.
It is still early days in the transfer window, and much of Villa’s business will be dependent on outgoings, but the Spaniard is still expecting a wealth of arrivals.
Emery is looking to players like Harvey Elliot and Jack Grealish to bolster his midfield, and he is keen to bring in at least one striker to support Watkins.
The signing of Redmond is an exciting step for the future, but if Villa are to push to return to the UEFA Champions League, they will need to sign players ready to make an instant impact.
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