Alejandro Garnacho joins Aston Villa

Alejandro Garnacho is all set to be leaving Chelsea as he looks to his the next step in his career.

Last summer, the former Argentina international left Manchester United to move to Stamford Bridge in a £40 million deal.

However, the winger failed to establish himself as a starting player, making just 22 appearances across all competitions and scoring eight times in a season that fell short of what he would have hoped for.

As such, Chelsea and new manager Xabi Alonso have reconsidered his future at the club, agreeing for him to miss pre-season training to pursue a move elsewhere.

Now, it’s all set for that move to be to Villa Park as he joins Aston Villa under Unai Emery.

The Athletic has reported that a loan deal has been agreed for the season, with an obligation to buy also built in if certain conditions are met throughout the campaign.

A medical has been completed and a four-year deal is in place for Garnacho, who is now in Birmingham, should that conditional obligation be triggered and the move made permanent.

It’s understood the pursuit of Garnacho has been led by Emery himself, as the Villa boss wants the winger to bolster his attack, having tried to sign him last summer before the switch to Chelsea.

The move is separate to Chelsea’s club-record £117 million signing of Morgan Rogers from Villa, with Switzerland international Johan Manzambi viewed as the man to directly replace the outgoing Rogers.

That shifted Emery’s focus onto a wide player, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye and West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville also among the names considered before Villa moved for Garnacho.

For United, there is a footnote worth watching, as the club retained a 10 per cent sell-on clause from the £40 million sale, which would come into play only if that permanent obligation is met.