Despite being heavily linked with a departure this month, a move to Montpellier for Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Sanson is seemingly not such a certain option.
Sanson, 28, has endured a difficult time at Villa since joining us in January 2021 from Marseille, with injuries and competition for places severely limiting his involvement.
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In two years at the club, the French midfielder has made just 23 appearances in all competitions, while he only scored his first goal for Villa earlier this month in our FA Cup loss to Stevenage.
It’s been a hugely frustrating situation as there is a strong belief that there is a talented player there who can offer us so much more, but for the reasons detailed above and perhaps others, it just hasn’t happened for him in a Villa shirt on a consistent basis.
It was reported by L’Equipe last week that Sanson was closing in on a return to Montpellier on loan, with no option to buy included in the agreement, thus offering all parties a short-term solution at least.
However, Allez Paillade are now reporting that despite his agent offering them a chance to sign him and that possible move being considered, it’s not a priority swoop for Montpellier this month as they want to bring in a new recruit who is capable of making an immediate impact in their battle to avoid relegation.
Although Sanson has become more involved since Unai Emery took charge, he still hasn’t played regular football in a long time, and so that could now seemingly scupper a move back to France with Montpellier.
It remains to be seen if there is interest from other clubs in the next fortnight, but for now, one avenue that seemed like a strong possibility is now not so clear.
On one hand, perhaps this is a good thing and Sanson will continue to show his worth to Emery and be an important part of the squad moving forward.
On the other, it could be argued that the best solution for all concerned now is to move on for a fresh start, with a Sanson departure then giving Emery space in the squad to bring in his own player to fill that void, and who is perhaps a better fit in his plans in the long run.
Time will tell how the situation plays out, but there is seemingly fresh doubt now over a possible Sanson exit this month.
