Alex Moreno ‘very close’ to Aston Villa exit as fee agreed ahead of transfer
Alex Moreno could finally be about to leave Aston Villa after a summer of speculation surrounding his future.
The left-back spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest, where he started 11 Premier League games, and it now seems as though his return to B6 will be brief one.
Moreno has been tipped to depart Villa for several weeks now, as it has become clear that he will be firmly behind both Lucas Digne and Ian Maatsen in the pecking order.
Unai Emery’s side have plenty of quality options in their backline, and it has become clear that Moreno has no future at Villa Park.
Girona agree £1.7m fee for Alex Moreno
It has been suggested that Moreno could leave Villa to join another Premier League club, but now he seems destined for a return to La Liga.
Girona made an approach to sign the 32-year-old a few weeks ago, and they have since made significant progress towards signing the former Real Betis star.
Moreno is now ‘very close’ to joining the Catalonian outfit, according to reports from El Desmarque.
Journalist Ivan Quiros also adds via X that a fee has been agreed between the two clubs, with Girona set to pay around £1.7million across the final year of Moreno’s contract with the Villans.
It remains to be seen whether that figure will form the payment details behind a loan deal, or whether it will be used as compensation for Villa to release the defender from his contract one year early.
Either way, it certainly feels likely that Moreno has already played his final game in a claret and blue shirt.
Alex Moreno would not have played for Aston Villa
Villa’s decision to try and move Moreno on is perfectly justifiable, given the level of quality that they already possess on the left of their defence.
| Stats (per 90) | Moreno | Digne | Maatsen |
| Apps | 15 | 32 | 29 |
| Progressive Passes | 3.21 | 2.18 | 3.94 |
| xA (Expected Assists) | 0.12 | 0.18 | 0.21 |
| Shot Creating Actions | 1.51 | 2.53 | 4.09 |
| Tackles Won | 1.70 | 1.46 | 1.34 |
| Aerial Duels Won | 0.28 | 1.42 | 0.79 |
Maatsen is viewed as the likely long-term option, but Digne is still a capable Premier League defender, and will still play an important role after penning a new deal recently.
Moreno is a significant distance behind those two, and with the Villans needing to cut down on their wage bill wherever possible, it is a sensible decision to cut ties with him one year early.
He was particularly impressive during his loan spell last season, and has done little to suggest that he is worthy of a place in the side, so his imminent departure comes as no surprise.
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