Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Sanson is reportedly set to complete a permanent transfer to Nice this summer, with the deal said to be worth €4m.
The 29-year-old joined Villa from Marseille in January 2021, but injury woes and competition for places ensured that he made just 23 appearances for the club.
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While it had been hoped that the arrival of Unai Emery might have given the Frenchman a fresh opportunity to impress, he was sent out on loan to Nice this season and has gone on to impress for the Ligue 1 side.
Sanson has four goals and three assists in 30 appearances as he’s helped them to fifth place in the standings as the season draws to a close, and it’s now reported that he will see his season-long loan stint turned into a permanent deal this summer.
According to GFFN, two conditions have now been met as part of the loan agreement that will trigger the permanent move, as Sanson has played in over half of Nice’s matches this season and they are guaranteed to finish in the top eight.
That in turn will see him seal a move worth €4m to the club with that option to buy becoming an obligation, and so Villa will move him on at the end of the season and hopefully be able to reinvest that into the squad having created further space for Emery to bring in a signing of his own.
While most Villa fans will no doubt be relieved that we’ve finally been able to shift Sanson off our books, as noted above, there is still a sense of disappointment that it never worked out for the French midfielder at Villa, given the optimism around his signing and the ability he did show, albeit all-too rarely given his inability to stay fit and feature consistently.
His expected move will suit all parties though, and so we’ll await official confirmation as it promises to be a busy summer for Villa this year with Emery looking to strengthen his squad where possible.
