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Aston Villa are on the verge of finalising a move for the Chelsea winger, who endured a challenging campaign at Stamford Bridge.

Reports suggest that Aston Villa are nearing an agreement to bring in Chelsea’s Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho.

The 22-year-old had a tough debut season with the Blues after his £40 million transfer from Manchester United last August. He made just 22 starts across all competitions and was left out of Argentina’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

However, Villa appear ready to offer Garnacho a fresh start away from west London, with both clubs reportedly deep in discussions over a season-long loan that includes a conditional obligation to buy.

Garnacho originally joined Manchester United’s academy from Atletico Madrid in October 2020 and made his senior debut in April 2022. He went on to net 26 goals in 144 appearances for the Red Devils, including a stunning overhead strike against Everton that earned him the 2023/24 Premier League Goal of the Season award.

The winger’s relationship with former United manager Ruben Amorim deteriorated towards the end of the subsequent campaign, leading to his departure for Chelsea last summer. Since then, he has struggled to cement his place in the starting lineup.

During his time at Chelsea, Garnacho managed only 14 Premier League starts and scored once, although he added seven more goals in various cup competitions.

Despite his inconsistent form, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery remains an admirer of the eight-cap Argentina international and is reportedly eager to complete the transfer, as per The Athletic.

The publication further notes that the proposed arrangement is currently structured as a one-season loan with a conditional obligation to purchase, though this could still be revised as negotiations continue.

Italian side Roma have also expressed interest in Garnacho, but The Athletic claims that Villa are confident Emery — who was keen to sign the youngster from United last summer — has persuaded him to make the move to Birmingham.

Meanwhile, new Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has reportedly granted Garnacho permission to skip the start of pre-season training to finalise his prospective transfer.

The Athletic also clarifies that the potential deal for Garnacho is separate from the £117 million transfer involving England forward Morgan Rogers from Villa to Chelsea. Villa’s preference for a loan arrangement stems from UEFA’s regulations, which would categorise a direct permanent move within 45 days as a ‘player exchange transaction.’

According to UEFA’s financial rules, if Villa were to sign Garnacho permanently within that 45-day window, their profit from the Rogers sale would be reduced to the net difference between the two transfer fees.

Aston Villa will feature in the UEFA Champions League next season after clinching the Europa League title last term, while Chelsea will sit out European competitions altogether following their 10th-place finish in the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.