Aston Villa have confirmed the exit of Anwar El Ghazi who has joined PSV Eindhoven in a deal reportedly worth £3.4m plus add-ons.
El Ghazi, 27, joined Villa in 2018 on an initial loan deal from Lille before making the switch permanent, as he went on to score 26 goals and provide 16 assists in 119 appearances for the club.
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Having played a vital role in our return to the Premier League, his contribution during his time at Villa will certainly be remembered as he now embarks on a new chapter in his career.
As per the club’s official statement, El Ghazi has sealed a move to PSV for an undisclosed fee, but the Express and Star’s Matt Maher has reported that the deal is worth an initial £3.4m with add-ons.
While he may have played an important part in our journey in recent years, El Ghazi has struggled to break into the team under Steven Gerrard given the level of competition at the club now, while he even spent time out on loan at Everton last season.
Given his lack of opportunities and the need for Villa to trim the squad, the move makes sense for all concerned, and the Dutch winger moves on with our best wishes for the future as we hope he gets a more prominent role at PSV and enjoys regular football again.
For Villa, with the likes of Emiliano Buendia, Philippe Coutinho and Leon Bailey all battling for places behind our frontmen, we should have enough in that department moving forward but Gerrard may well decide to bring in another option in the closing stages of the transfer window.
Meanwhile, in an emotional farewell on Twitter, as seen below, El Ghazi paid tribute to the Villa fans and the club, and judging from the warm reception he’s received, it’s clear that he made a positive impression on many and his contribution was certainly valued by the fanbase.
First of all I want to say THANK YOU @AVFCOfficial and their supporters for the amazing 4 years and the opportunity to play for this fantastic club.
I will never forget the beautiful moments I have had here. 31-05-2019 is one of them.. one of the best days of my life (1/3)— Anwar El Ghazi (@elghazi1995) August 31, 2022