Aston Villa Agree Deal for Alejandro Garnacho in Part of Busy Chelsea Swap Business

Aston Villa have agreed a deal to sign winger Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea, arriving on an initial loan with a conditional obligation to buy. The structure of the deal is understood to be easily achievable, effectively paving the way for a permanent switch.

The Argentina international joined Chelsea from Manchester United only last summer for a fee in the region of £40 million, but had not featured in Chelsea's pre-season plans after the club made clear he was available to leave. Villa manager Unai Emery has long been an admirer of the winger, and the move addresses a need for further attacking width following a summer of squad turnover at Villa Park.

The Garnacho deal comes shortly after Chelsea agreed a British-record £117 million fee to sign Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers, and financial regulations mean the two clubs have had to structure the separate deals carefully. UEFA rules can treat transfers between the same two clubs within a short window as a single 'player exchange transaction' if the terms are similar, which would affect how much profit Villa could book from the Rogers sale for financial fair play purposes.

Both clubs have faced scrutiny over financial sustainability rules in the recent past, adding an extra layer of complexity to what is otherwise a straightforward swap of playing talent between the two clubs.