Aston Villa in talks over international defender loan
Villa are in talks to send new centre-back arrival Yasin Ozcan on loan to Anderlecht.
The 19-year-old Turkey international joined the club earlier this summer in a £5.8million deal from Kasimpasa, after a pre-contract agreement had been struck in January.
But while Ozcan is very much viewed as an exciting prospect for the future, he is unlikely to feature in Villa’s first-team this season and the club are prepared to let him join Anderlecht in order to gain experience.
The Brussels club, who have already begun their domestic season, are also in the qualifying stages of the Europa Conference League. Reports in Belgium have claimed the deal could include an option to buy.
Ozcan will join a lengthy list of Villa players who have gone out on loan for the season ahead, with Louie Barry, Kosta Nedeljkovic and Enzo Barrenechea having already departed.
The latter two joined RB Leipzig and Benfica respectively, both in deals which included options to buy. Barrenechea, who joined Villa from Juventus last summer, is likely to leave the club permanently next summer without ever having played a match for the first-team.
Villa will also consider moving teenage striker Zepiqueno Redmond out on loan before the end of the window.
The 19-year-old joined as a free agent this summer following the expiry of his contract at Feyenoord.
He is yet to make an appearance in pre-season after picking up a small injury but will be assessed by Unai Emery and his coaching staff when back fit.
Redmond’s short-term future will depend on what other business Villa are able to do in the window.
The club is needing to tread carefully due to Uefa’s financial fair play rules, with goalkeeper Marco Bizot the only senior arrival so far this summer.
Emery would like to add a defender and a couple of attackers, including a centre-forward, before the deadline but incomings must be weighed against outgoings. Villa are increasingly expected to leave their business late, with the club again prepared to enter the loan market if necessary, just as they did when recruiting Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi during the January window.
Villa, meanwhile, have confirmed their home fixture with Crystal Palace, currently scheduled for Friday, August 29, will be moved should the London club lose their appeal over their demotion from the Europa League.
Palace are currently scheduled to play a Conference League play-off tie on the Thursday night.
