Aston Villa have been knocked back in their attempt to sign Roger Ibañez, with the Brazilian defender choosing to stay at Al-Ahli. There has been quite a change since the first reports of Villa's interest. The same Sacha Tavolieri now says the Premier League club made an offer for Ibañez, only for the player to turn it down. The defender has made it clear he wants to continue at Al-Ahli, despite the chance to return to Europe with Unai Emery's side.
What happened?
Roger Ibañez had looked like one to watch for Aston Villa after putting his contract talks with Al-Ahli on hold. Tavolieri previously revealed that several Premier League clubs were interested. Villa had also made repeated contact with the player's representatives. That interest has now turned into an offer, so Villa were clearly prepared to take things a step further. Ibañez isn’t interested in leaving, though. Tavolieri says the 27-year-old has “reiterated his desire” to remain with the Saudi club.
Why it matters for Aston Villa
Aston Villa's attempt to sign Ibañez has hit a wall, with the player choosing to stay at Al-Ahli. The Saudi club has increased Ibañez's salary in their new proposal to keep him. This is a significant blow to Villa's transfer plans, as they had been keen to bring the Brazilian defender to the club.
What comes next?
Aston Villa will now have to look elsewhere for defensive reinforcements, with Ibañez's decision to stay at Al-Ahli ruling him out of the transfer window. The club will be hoping to find a suitable replacement for Ibañez, but it remains to be seen who they will target next.
Aston Villa are currently 4th in the Premier League, with 65 points from 38 games. They have scored 56 goals and conceded 49, with a +7 goal difference. They are 20 points behind leaders Arsenal and have won their last 4 games in a row. Their next fixture is against Hull City on September 5th.
