Aston Villa have already managed to get one forgotten man off their wage bill this week.
Morgan Sanson, the £14 million midfielder who had not featured for Unai Emery‘s outfit since January 2023, became a permanent member of the OGC Nice squad after the purchase clause in his contract was triggered by the Ligue 1 outfit, much to the delight of the club’s highly-rated head coach Francesco Farioli.
“Morgan is officially an OGC Nice player for the coming seasons,” the Ajax-linked Farioli told Get France Football News during his Tuesday press conference.
“The qualification for European football and the number of games played ensured that (he is staying here). It is something that we celebrating. He has given a lot for the team and shown a desire to stay here. I think he is happy and we are too.”
Morgan Sanson kick-starts Aston Villa exits
Sanson, one of the more underwhelming signings of the Wes Edens and Nayef Sawiris era, is likely to be the first of many players heading out the door this summer.
Clement Lenglet and Nicolo Zaniolo could depart when their loan deals expire. HITC understands that Aston Villa are in talks with PSG’s Carlos Soler as a potential replacement for the latter.
Villa will not stand in Leander Dendoncker’s way either, while goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo is reportedly on Celtic’s radar as a potential Joe Hart replacement.
And then there is Philippe Coutinho.
Still technically an Aston Villa player – he moved to Qatar with Al-Duhail but only on loan in 2023 – the prospect of a return to his Brazilian homeland offers Emery, Monchi and co the solution to one of their personnel problems.
Vasco da Gama are not only interested, they are in discussions too. That is according to Pedrinho, Vasco’s president providing an update on the former Liverpool, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Barcelona playmaker via Globo Esporte.
“It is happening,” Pedrinho said when asked about those talks with Coutinho.
Philippe Coutinho has no future under Unai Emery
Aston Villa paid £17 million for Coutinho after a positive loan spell in the second-half of 2021/22, scoring five times in his first 19 games back in the Premier League after reuniting with his one-time Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard.
The arrival of Emery a few months later, however, ensured that the positivity that surrounded Coutinho’s return to England soon fizzled out.
“Philippe is a very good person,” Emery said in September when a player who once set Barcelona back a staggering £142 million closed in on that move to the Middle East. “And always we have to respect him as a person, firstly.
“Secondly, as a player, he has played at a very high level. He has not been consistent because of injuries and we decided that, if something is good for him and good for the club and for the squad, we can let him leave.
“Then, he can find his good performance as a player.”
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