00:00Aston Villa have been handed a potential opening to strengthen their defence this summer, with
00:07Chelsea choosing to leave Axel de Sassi out of their 27-man squad for the FIFA Club World
00:14Cup.
00:15The French international spent the second half of last season on loan at Villa Park and
00:20although he only made 10 appearances, he impressed enough to warrant internal discussions over
00:25a possible permanent move.
00:27Unai Emery is prioritising defensive depth, particularly on the right side, and de Sassi,
00:33who joined Chelsea from Monaco in 2023, remains under consideration.
00:38Unai Emery is prioritising defensive depth, particularly on the right side, and de Sassi,
00:43who joined Chelsea from Monaco in 2023, remains under consideration.
00:49However, a permanent deal may prove difficult at this stage.
00:53Chelsea are expected to demand a significant fee, having already charged Villa £5m for his
00:59short-term loan deal.
01:01Villa are exploring alternatives, including Valencia's Christian Mosquera and Osasunas' Enzo
01:07Bioma, while former Feyenoord defender Lusharare Guitera, now Atabi Leipzig, has re-emerged as
01:13a potential target.
01:15Sky Germany recently reported that Guitera is open to a move after a frustrating spell in
01:21the Bundesliga.
01:23While the permanent move for de Sassi isn't completely off the table, his high cost per
01:27minute of action last season has given Villa pause for thought.
01:32A better deal would be to negotiate if he were to return permanently.
01:37Elsewhere, Villa are preparing to strengthen in multiple positions.
01:41Real Betis winger Jesus Rodriguez is on their radar, while Lucas Ciavella and Mike Mignon are
01:48goalkeeper targets.
01:49In midfield, Sevilla Njappian has been a top target for many seasons, before choosing
01:55Manchester City.
01:57Villa are not expected to finalise any major signings before the June 30th PSR deadline,
02:03but business is likely to accelerate after that point.
02:06The focus remains on smart recruitment that supports Emre's long-term vision in both domestic
02:11and European campaigns.
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