Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Sanson is reportedly edging closer to an exit with a loan move to Montpellier being discussed.
The 28-year-old arrived from Marseille in January, 2021, but he has struggled throughout his time with us due to injuries and competition for places, which in turn has seen him make just 22 appearances for the club.
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Having scored last weekend – his first goal for Villa – in a positive performance in our disappointing FA Cup loss to Stevenage, it had been hoped that Sanson may finally have something to build on and get a consistent run in the side to prove he can be a key figure in the squad.
However, it doesn’t appear as though that will be the case, as according to L’Equipe, Sanson is said to be closing in on a return to Montpellier with the current discussion being over a loan move with no option to buy.
It’s added in the report that Montpellier would be paying the Frenchman’s salary as part of the agreement, and it hasn’t yet been ruled out that an option to buy could be included in the deal as talks between the two clubs continue. Further, it’s suggested that there are other interested clubs, and so it remains to be seen if Villa have a choice of which offer to accept.
On one hand, it’s disappointing that Sanson could now be on his way out of Villa after such an underwhelming stint at the club thus far, as it had always been hoped that he would eventually showcase his quality and prove his worth as part of the squad.
Having seen a glimpse of what he can offer at the weekend, there is still a belief that Villa signed a talented midfielder capable of making an impact.
That said, it has been long enough now for that to materialise and Sanson is on his third Villa coach, and particularly if Unai Emery doesn’t feel as though he has a part to play in his plans moving forward, then an exit would be the best solution for all concerned.
Time will tell if the deal now goes through as touted, and it will interesting to see if having cleared space in the squad – and specifically the midfield – with an exit, whether that then paves the way for Emery to bring in an option of his own in the January transfer window to bolster the squad.