Aston Villa completed some outstanding business in the January transfer window and are reaping the rewards as PSG tie booked
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Aston Villa's Marco Asensio
Aston Villa's Marco Asensio(Image: PA)
Alan McInally has hailed the work Aston Villa did in the January transfer window, business which has helped the club reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Victory over Club Brugge on Wednesday night has earned Villa a last eight tie with Paris Saint-Germain, which for one new recruit will be a poignant occasion.
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They made it through after Marco Asensio bagged two goals, with the Spaniard now set to face his parent club for a place in the last four after his loan move earlier this season.
Former Villa striker McInally praised the 29-year-old, who has linked up well with Marcus Rashford to score seven times in his last five matches.
Speaking on talkSPORT the pundit said: “We know how difficult January is, and it can be a little bit of, not a poisoned chalice, that's the wrong way to talk about it, but in terms of the money you think you want to spend because you need to spend.
“I've got to say that bringing in Marcus Rashford was brilliant. They bring the boy Andres Garcia, a fullback who was at Levante for two years, who Unai Emery knew fabulously well.
“We bring Donyell Malen in and we get Asensio, who's won the 100 Champions Leagues at Real Madrid, plays at Paris Saint Germain, and we get him to come to us.
“Do you think he has still got that kind of hunger? And he has. But not only that, he brings in a quality that all the lads around him all of a sudden have a straight back again ‘Well, if he can do it, then we can do it’.
“He puts him on the bench [against Club Brugge], didn't start him, makes a change and he has immediate impact.
“He has an effect on the football club and not just the team, and he's been absolutely fantastic. He genuinely has. He's a wonderful football player, which I suppose kind of helps him.”
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