Aston Villa confirm first summer signing in £6.6m deal | OneFootball

Aston Villa Strengthen Squad with Promising Talent and High-Profile Loans

Ozcan’s Arrival Signals Villa’s Continued Ambition

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa have secured the signing of 18-year-old defensive prospect Ozcan from Kasımpaşa, believed to be for a fee in the region of €8 million. The young Turk will remain with his current club until the end of the season, before linking up with Villa in the summer. Having debuted for Kasımpaşa at just 16 in August 2022, Ozcan has already amassed over 80 senior appearances and found the net five times.

Internationally, Ozcan boasts 12 caps for Turkey’s U21 side and is expected to bolster Villa’s centre-back options following Diego Carlos’ move to Fenerbahçe during the January window. Although yet to make his senior debut, Ozcan was named on the bench against Montenegro last November, and his first cap seems imminent.

Villa’s Aggressive Transfer Strategy Pays Off

Ozcan’s signing marks another statement of intent in Aston Villa’s impressive January recruitment drive of 2025. The club welcomed Donyell Malen, Andres Garcia, and high-profile loan deals including Marco Asensio, Marcus Rashford, and Axel Disasi. These additions underline Emery’s vision to elevate Villa’s status both domestically and in Europe.

Emery Reflects on January Window Challenges

Ahead of Villa’s FA Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur, Emery shared his thoughts on the transfer window’s demands. “The transfer window in January is very difficult, but we were competing very well,” he remarked.

Emery also acknowledged the challenges ahead: “Now, we have the challenge for the rest of the season to try to recover some good performances collectively and individually that we didn’t have in the first part of the season.”

Chasing European Dreams

Despite the reinforcements, Emery remains realistic about Villa’s league position. “In the league we’re not in a position where we can feel comfortable. Our objective and target is to be in the European positions. More or less, we are but not completely.”

Villa fans will be eager to see how these new additions translate on the pitch as the club continues its pursuit of European football.