Aston Villa are holding exploratory talks over a deal to sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka from West Ham United. The 28-year-old is among Villa's list of targets for the right-back position, which has been identified as a key position to address this summer as the club seek to provide competition for Matty Cash.
What happened?
Aston Villa have held exploratory talks over a deal to sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka from West Ham United. The 28-year-old is among Villa's list of targets for the right-back position, which has been identified as a key position to address this summer as the club seek to provide competition for Matty Cash.
Why it matters for Aston Villa
A move for Emerson Royal, the Flamengo right-back formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, did not materialise while Villa's Kosta Nedeljkovic has interest from Scottish club Rangers and elsewhere.
What comes next?
The east London club will play second-tier football for the first time since 2011-12. He started two of West Ham's final seven matches of the season, displaced by Kyle Walker-Peters at right-back, after the former Southampton defender also covered the position when Wan-Bissaka represented DR Congo at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Aston Villa are currently 4th in the Premier League, with 65 points from 38 games, and are on a 4-game winning run. They have scored 56 goals and conceded 49 this season, with a +7 goal difference. They are 20 points behind leaders Arsenal in the title race.
Aston Villa's next fixture is against Hull City away on September 5th. The club is looking to strengthen their squad this summer and Wan-Bissaka is a key target for the right-back position.
Why Wan-Bissaka is a good fit for Aston Villa
Wan-Bissaka has made 65 appearances across his two seasons at West Ham, having previously played 190 times for Manchester United, where he won the League Cup and FA Cup in 2023 and 2024 respectively. He started all four of DR Congo's matches at this summer's World Cup, helping his nation to a 1-1 draw with Portugal, while they led England until the 75th minute in the round-of-32 before Harry Kane's double turned the tie around.
What's next for Wan-Bissaka?
Wan-Bissaka's contract at the London Stadium runs until 2031, having signed a seven-year deal upon joining from Manchester United in a £15million ($20.1m) deal in August 2024. He has made 25 league appearances for West Ham last campaign as they suffered relegation to the Championship. He started two of West Ham's final seven matches of the season, displaced by Kyle Walker-Peters at right-back, after the former Southampton defender also covered the position when Wan-Bissaka represented DR Congo at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
