Why Aston Villa Will Feel Assured if They Land PSG’s €20M-Rated Outcast | OneFootball

With the January transfer window open, Paris Saint-Germain has an opportunity to offload players who no longer fit their plans, and Marco Asensio appears to be one of them.

Since November 30, Asensio’s role has diminished significantly. The former Real Madrid star has lost his starting spot and barely featured as a substitute. His only appearance since then came on December 6, when he played just 11 minutes against AJ Auxerre.

In 2024, Asensio has been on the bench for three of PSG’s last four Ligue 1 matches and was left out of the squad entirely for the Coupe de France Round of 64 tie against RC Lens. He was also an unused substitute in the Trophée des Champions against AS Monaco. These developments suggest that his future at PSG is increasingly uncertain, with a departure looking more likely.

How Aston Villa will be feeling should they land Marco Asensio

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Former chief scout at Man United and Blackburn, Mick Brown, spoke with Football Insider and noted that should Aston Villa secure the former Real Madrid player, the club will be confident that the signing will workout in their favor.

“Unai Emery and the director of football will already know him well,” Brown told Football Insider. “They’re likely to be speaking to their contacts in Spain about him, about his availability and whether that would be a deal they can do this month.

“Emery was at PSG before, so he’ll be speaking to people there too. They’ll have a very good idea about what his level is and where he’ll fit into the team. Ron Atkinson always used to say – anybody can make a mistake in the transfer market, but not when it’s a player you already know well.

“So Villa will have to be confident about whether the move will pay off before they bring him in, and they’ll be working to ensure that is the case. He’s got a very good reputation and his talent and quality is certainty there. He’s also a player that’s been on Aston Villa’s list for a while, they’re big fans of his.“

According to a recent report from Le Parisien’s Marc Mechenoua, Aston Villa has shown interest in Asensio, along with other potential suitors. While PSG hasn’t explicitly signaled his exit, the Spanish forward is reportedly seeking more playing time.

Last month, a report indicated that Asensio is considering whether to stay in Paris until the summer or move during the winter window. Clubs such as Bayer Leverkusen, Inter Milan, Lyon, Aston Villa, Newcastle, MLS teams, and sides in Asia are all rumored to be monitoring his situation.

Since joining PSG in 2023, the 28-year-old has made 46 appearances across all competitions, contributing seven goals and 11 assists. Transfermarkt currently values him at €20 million.