Aston Villa in talks to sign £12m ace as club prepare for his departure

Follow us on Google Discover

Real Betis are now eyeing replacements for Alex Moreno as Premier League outfit Aston Villa enter talks regarding a potential £12 million deal for the La Liga left-back, according to Goal Spain. 

There was understandable ‘delight’ at Betis as Moreno rebuffed Nottingham Forest’s advances last summer, committing his immediate future to a Verdiblancos side who secured European qualification under Manuel Pellegrini. 

Forest, per The Telegraph, had initially agreed a £9 million fee with Real Betis. Moreno’s decision to backed out of negotiations, however, was music to Beticos ears.

“I made the decision,” the former Espanyol flyer explained. “I am at the club I want, (and) I am happy. I’m very happy to be able to continue here.

“I had to talk to a lot of people. In the end, the conclusion was that the stability I have, and the ambition to keep growing at this club and keep winning things and aspire to more things (was enough to convince me to stay).”  

Aston Villa could sign Alex Moreno after Real Betis ace turned down Nottingham Forest

With Moreno once again attracting admiring glances from the Premier League, Pellegrini and co will be hoping that history repeats itself. According to AS, Unai Emery is hoping to make the swashbuckling 29-year-old left-back one of his first signings since replacing Steven Gerrard in the Villa Park dugout. 

Goal believes that Real Betis are holding out for around £12 million. Given that the Copa del Rey holders accepted a £9 million bid from Nottingham Forest just a few months ago, however, Aston Villa may still hope that a seven-figure offer is enough to secure Moreno’s services.  

Betis, Goal adds, are leaving nothing for chance, identifying a number of potential Moreno replacements. Atletico Madrid’s Manu Sanchez is one option. Though any deal is complicated by the fact that the youngster has a loan deal at Osasuna until the end of the season.  

Real Vallecano’s Fran Garcia and Pep Chavarria are also under consideration. Ditto Sergio Akieme of Almeria. 

The attack-minded Moreno, since the start of last season, has five goals and eight assists to his name. Emery, meanwhile, has a track record when it comes to getting the best out of attack-minded full-backs. The likes of Pervis Estupinan, Aleix Vidal and Benoit Tremoulinas played the best football of their careers under the former Villarreal and Sevilla coach.