'Didn't want to go' - Brutal details of Aston Villa's transfer deadline day struggles emerge
Further details have emerged from the transfer window amidst Aston Villa’s difficult start to the campaign
Aston Villa have not had an easy start to the new season. A challenging summer transfer window has been followed up by an equally difficult opening five Premier League fixtures, which have resulted in zero wins and just one goal.
Villa finally scored that elusive league goal at Sunderland on Sunday, a long-range Matty Cash strike swerving past goalkeeper Robin Roefs, who could have done better to keep it out. The Black Cats equalised at the other end through Wilson Isidor, though, and the Villans had to settle for a third draw of the new season already.
Over the summer, significant financial restraints caused by PSR meant that disruptive links surrounding star players emerged and expensive new buys were few and far between. £24 million Evann Guessand represented Villa’s only significant outlay before the deadline-day loan signings of Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho. Another player could have joined on deadline day, it has emerged, but a transfer fell through in a brutal blow for the Villans.
Man United goalkeeper Senne Lammens nearly signed for Aston Villa
Reports from Sport Witness have emerged that Aston Villa agreed a deal for Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens to be the long-term successor to Emiliano Martinez at Villa Park, but the move fell through on deadline day as the player did not want to go.
Lammens ultimately signed for Manchester United in a £21m move in the final hours of the window and the 23-year-old has since spent his time sat on the bench at Old Trafford thus far. Things could have been very different.
Royal Antwerp director of football Marc Overmars has revealed that Lammens turned down Aston Villa and “didn’t want to go”, his heart ultimately set on a move to United, which went through in the end.
Antwerp found themselves in the middle of a complicated situation surrounding United and the Villans, where Martinez needed to leave in order for Villa to push through with a move for Lammens. The Red Devils were linked with the Argentine, but ultimately opted to sign Lammens instead and left Martinez and Villa red-faced.
‘We had a deal’ - Overmars reveals Aston Villa negotiations
Overmars told Voetbal Primeur: “With Manchester United, we started as losers on deadline day. We had a deal with Aston Villa, but Martinez still had to leave, and Senne didn’t want to go there. Only then did Man United make their first offer. Lower than Aston Villa. Four hours later, we finally reached an agreement.”
Villa fans may argue they ultimately got the better end of the stick, as Martinez stayed put at Villa Park and was outstanding in his first match back in goal for the club against Everton. Lammens, meanwhile, has yet to make his Premier League debut as Altay Bayindir has been trusted to start for Man United in crunch matches against Manchester City and Chelsea.
The Belgian is touted for great things, though, even if he is not quite ready just yet. Aston Villa’s search for a successor to Martinez must continue, with the World Cup winner recently turning 33 and likely still to want a new chapter elsewhere before his career is out. For the meantime, though, Unai Emery has more pressing issues to sort out on the pitch.