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Loan exit confirmed as Villa talent secures temporary switch

Aston Villa have confirmed that Kosta Nedeljkovic has rejoined RB Leipzig on a season-long loan deal ahead of the new campaign.

The 19-year-old signed for Villa from Red Star Belgrade in January 2024, but having gone on to make just 10 appearances for the club, he moved to Leipzig on loan for the second half of last season.

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Despite having an option to buy him permanently included in that agreement, the Bundesliga outfit opted against triggering the clause, but as per Villa’s official statement, Nedeljkovic will return to Leipzig on loan for the upcoming campaign.

Unlike their statement last year, RB Leipzig haven’t included any mention of an option to buy being present in this latest deal, but although this stands as a straight loan for now, perhaps that will free up the negotiations next summer to sign the Serbian defender outright without any commitments on a transfer fee in advance.

Given that it doesn’t seem as though Nedeljkovic is part of Unai Emery’s plans moving forward, it will be in everyone’s best interests for him to enjoy a productive season this year, as that will increase his value and make the likelihood of a permanent exit a more feasible outcome.

It’s certainly a shame to see him head out again though given he showed plenty of promise and potential during his brief time with us, and he arguably has the characteristics and room for development to become a top-level right-back in the Premier League.

Nevertheless, he evidently hasn’t shown enough in training or in games to convince Emery that he will be his long-term solution in that position, with Matty Cash continuing to be first-choice while the arrival of Andres Garcia in January only pushed Nedeljkovic further down the pecking order.

Despite emerging as a talented young prospect, his more immediate future lies away from Villa, and given he is now set for a second loan stint in consecutive seasons, it seems highly probable that his long-term future will be elsewhere too, with Villa looking to cash in and hopefully make a significant profit on him further down the line.

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