Aston Villa has secured Spain midfielder Marco Asensio on loan from Paris St-Germain until the season's end, marking their fourth signing of the winter transfer window. The three-time Champions League winner joins the club alongside recent acquisitions Marcus Rashford, Donyell Malen, and Andres Garcia.
The 29-year-old midfielder, who has netted seven goals in 47 appearances for PSG since his move from Real Madrid in summer 2023, will see his wages covered by Villa. However, the deal doesn't include an option for a permanent transfer. Despite helping PSG clinch the French title last season, Asensio's playing time has been limited to just eight league starts this term.
The Spain international, who contributed to his country's Nations League triumph in 2023, expressed his enthusiasm about working with Villa manager Unai Emery. "Unai is a coach that I've known for a while," Asensio told Villa's club website. "He's had a great career, he's a top coach, he's been key in me being able to come here because of his idea of how he wants to play football. I love it - it suits me perfectly and he's a really important person as to why I'm here right now."
The signing comes at a crucial time for Villa, with Emery highlighting the need for new players following their 2-0 defeat at Wolves, which left the club in eighth place in the Premier League. The club has been active in the transfer market, having sold Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr for £71m and Diego Carlos to Fenerbahce for approximately £8.45m. They've also loaned out Samuel Iling-Junior to Middlesbrough.
Villa's recent acquisitions include Manchester United forward Rashford for a potential £40m, Netherlands forward Malen from Borussia Dortmund for £19m, and Spanish full-back Garcia from Levante for around £6m plus add-ons. The club has prioritized versatile attackers, with Asensio, Rashford, and Malen all capable of operating across the front three positions, providing excellent options to complement Ollie Watkins.
Fans might see Asensio make his Villa debut alongside Rashford in the FA Cup fourth round match against Tottenham on Sunday, which will be broadcast live on BBC One and iPlayer. As Villa continues their Champions League campaign in the last 16, Emery's proven track record of developing players - as evidenced by Watkins and Ezri Konsa becoming England squad regulars, and Morgan Rogers' progression - suggests Asensio could be another success story at Villa Park.
