Aston Villa loan FC Barcelona defender

The transfer saga of Clément Lenglet and FC Barcelona seems to have come to an end – for now.

After trying for several weeks to find a good destination for him, FC Barcelona have reached an agreement with Aston Villa on a season-long loan for the French defender. Despite his high wages, Villa have agreed to pay 75% of those in order to acquire him for the season.

However, it is important to note that there is no buy option included in the deal, meaning it will be  a simple season loan. Lenglet is currently under contract with Barcelona until 2026, meaning he’ll be returning as a Culer at the end of this season. It’s likely that he’ll be loaned out again at that time, or sold to another team if he puts in some good performances for Aston Villa.

He played on loan last season at Tottenham Hotspur, where he took part in 26 matches, gaining experience in the Premier League, which Villa are sure to have valued in this deal.

Former Sevilla sporting director Monchi has had experience with Lenglet, as he was part of Monchi’s Sevilla team in the 2017-18 season. This familiarity was surely a big part of Villa’s decision to take on the 28-year old, as Monchi is now the English club’s sporting director.

Barça would surely have liked to sell Lenglet, but it is still a step in the right direction for the club, as this would free up salary space for the likes of Cancelo or João Félix.

This news most likely means that Eric García will be staying at Barcelona, although his name has floated around in transfer talks recently. Regardless, with the injury problem’s at Barça’s back line, it seems probable that Lenglet will be the only defender sold or loaned before the end of window.