Aston Villa door still open to sign Asensio as fresh transfer update emerges
Marco Asensio’s future has been up in the air since his loan spell at Aston Villa expired.
The Spanish winger became a key player for Unai Emery in the second half of the campaign, after he joined from PSG on 3 February.
He had a productive stint in B6, and as such, it was no surprise to see Asensio linked with a permanent move to Villa in the latter stages of his loan spell.
Aston Villa return cannot be ruled out for Asensio after Fenerbahce talks break down
As the transfer window has worn on, it has looked increasingly unlikely that Asensio will return to Villa Park.
His parent club are looking to offload the 29-year-old, and Fenerbahce had seemed the likely destination for several weeks.
Jose Mourinho’s side spent a lengthy period in discussions with the French capital club, but they have ultimately decided to pull away from the deal at a late stage.
- Villa were linked with a permanent move for Asensio earlier in the summer
- Fenerbahce then came close to signing him but couldn’t meet his wage demands
- Asensio hit eight goals for Villa in 21 games and could still return
The Villans have found it difficult to navigate the market this summer, but it now looks as though Asensio’s story at Villa Park may not have reached its conclusion just yet.
Benfica are understood to have shown an interest in him, according to Spanish newspaper AS (31 July), but PSG are looking for a straight sale, rather than the initial loan deal that the Portuguese side are keen to strike.
It is also noted that it is “not yet ruled out” that Villa could launch another approach to sign Asensio, and it’s thought that they may be able to meet his lofty wage demands.
PSG are believed to want a deal concluded by 6 August, when they begin their preparation for the UEFA Super Cup final against Tottenham.
Asensio could be a good option for Villa
If Villa could manage to satisfy Asensio’s wage demands, then it could be a sensible move for them to go back in for the attacker.
He is already familiar with the club and has experience of working under Emery and thriving in his system.
| Player | Apps | Goals per 90 |
| Donyell Malen | 17 | 0.68 |
| Marco Asensio | 21 | 0.65 |
| Ollie Watkins | 54 | 0.43 |
| Morgan Rogers | 54 | 0.28 |
| Leon Bailey | 38 | 0.09 |
The former Real Madrid man showed flashes of his brilliance during his loan spell, and the hope would be that the additional stability of a permanent transfer could provide him with the platform to hit the next level in the Premier League.
Villa have been short of a quality wide option since Marcus Rashford returned to Manchester United, and Asensio could be a good option for them to strengthen their squad in the latter stages of the window.
Sign up for the Villa News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Aston Villa news sent straight to your phone.