Enzo Barrenechea (R)
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has reportedly informed Enzo Barrenechea he is free to return to Valencia this summer - and the Spanish side are, as a result, prepared to make another offer to Villa, whether that be to take the midfielder back on loan with an obligation to buy, or outright this summer.
Barrenechea is currently away with Argentina and was an unused substitute on Friday night as they defeated Chile 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier - a game in which Emiliano Martinez completed 90 minutes in goal. Barrenechea's future, though, is uncertain back at Bodymoor Heath.
After a summer break, the 24-year-old - who is yet to actually appear in a competitive game for Villa - is due to report for pre-season testing and training, having played regularly for Valencia while on loan last year. There, he helped the club avoid relegation in the second half of last season under incoming boss Carlos Corberan.
Barrenechea, who joined Villa with Samuel Iling-Junior as part of the negotiations which took Douglas Luiz to Juventus last summer, signed a five-year deal upon arriving at Villa, who won't be sweating on the player's future, but a decision must be made in the short term on where Barrenchea's immediate future lies.
Villa are well stocked in the midfield; , Emery also has Youri Tielemans, Boubacar Kamara, Ross Barkley, Jacob Ramsey and John McGinn in the middle of the park and Barrenechea may be deemed surplus.
Recently, president of football operations Monchi indicated that Emery would run the rule of Barrenechea in pre-season before making a call on whether to integrate him into the squad or consider that, in his best interests, better chances of game time lay elsewhere.
“He's a player coveted by many European clubs," Monchi said of Barrenechea. "We have to decide if Unai wants to count on him. It's true that we have many important players in that position, including McGinn, Onana, Kamara, and Barkley, but Enzo has done what was intended, to take a step forward after his time at Frosinone, and he has.”
Real Betis, the Europa Conference League finalists, have also been linked, but reports suggest that Emery has already decided to allow Barrenechea a move away again this summer and Valencia are in pole position to sign him again - on loan or permanently - because of how much the player enjoyed his loan spell last season.
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