Aston Villa are reportedly in ongoing talks with Paris Saint-Germain in order to find an agreement to sign Marco Asensio on a permanent basis.
The 29-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan with us, and despite a quiet end to his spell with us having gone 11 games without a goal contribution, he did bag eight goals and one assist in 21 appearances.
READ MORE: Offer rejected but doubts build over Villa ace’s future
With Villa lacking quality in the final third after exits this summer, it’s imperative that the club bring in reinforcements for Unai Emery before the transfer deadline, and it appears as though Asensio could be the priority solution.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Villa are in direct talks with PSG over a deal, and it will be permanent switch with the negotiations centred around the fee involved with the Ligue 1 side not considering a loan move.
On one hand, if Emery feels as though the Spanish playmaker is the missing piece that we need to add, then it’s hoped that we can get a deal done and bolster our attacking unit with the creativity, technical quality and goal threat that Asensio is capable of providing.
In contrast, paying what may well be a significant fee for a player in the final year of his contract, who is approaching 30 years of age and will likely command a high salary on a lengthy deal, is surely the type of transfer swoop that we should be avoiding based on previous mistakes.
Take the financial aspect away though as the club will obviously feel that we’re in a position to do this deal without causing complications when it comes to being compliant with PSR and UEFA’s rules, it comes down to whether or not Asensio is the best and most realistic option available.
With his winning mentality as well as his quality on the pitch, he could be a vital presence in the squad as we try to compete on multiple fronts again this season, and although opinion seems to be split on social media, at this stage, it’s crucial that we bring in players of his class to give us alternative solutions in the final third after such a poor start to the campaign. Time will ultimately tell if it was a smart move, should an agreement materialise.
Want more Villa analysis? TalkVilla+ has now launched! Subscribe below for ad-free newsletters, exclusive articles and much more. The TalkVilla podcast is also now live, have a listen, and subscribe if you enjoy on Apple Podcasts or YouTube. UTV!