Aston Villa are on the verge of a sensational return for former loanee Tammy Abraham, with manager Unai Emery prepared to sanction a significant £50million clear-out of attacking talent to facilitate the move.
Emery's Striker Search Leads to Familiar Face
With Villa competing on multiple fronts this season, Unai Emery has identified the need for added firepower. His search has led him to Tammy Abraham, a striker who knows the club intimately from a prolific loan spell during the 2018-19 Championship promotion campaign, where he netted 25 times in 37 games.
Negotiations are advancing, with a substantial four-and-a-half year deal reportedly on the table for the 28-year-old England international. This long-term commitment underscores the faith the Villa hierarchy has in Abraham, who is thought to be motivated by the prospect of making Villa Park his permanent home despite interest from other suitors.
The £50m Sacrifice: Guessand and Malen to Depart
To navigate the complexities of the deal and the club's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) concerns, Villa are ready to make a major sacrifice. The move is complicated by Abraham's current situation; he is on loan at Besiktas from Roma, with the Turkish club holding an obligation to buy.
As part of the agreement, Villa could send a player on loan to Besiktas to soften the blow of losing their striker. Evann Guessand, who only joined from Nice for £30m in the summer of 2025, is the prime candidate. The forward has failed to score in 12 Premier League appearances and may be allowed to leave.
Concurrently, Villa are also facilitating the exit of Donyell Malen to Roma. The Dutch winger, a £20m signing just last January, has flown to Italy for a medical ahead of a loan move with a £21m purchase option. Malen has scored seven times this term, just one behind leading scorer Morgan Rogers, making his departure a significant attacking loss that necessitates Abraham's arrival.
Abraham's Journey Back to Villa Park
Abraham's career has come full circle. After his successful Villa loan, he excelled at Chelsea, scoring 18 goals in his best season at Stamford Bridge. A move to Roma under Jose Mourinho followed, where he enjoyed his most prolific year, scoring 27 times.
Subsequent serious injuries and a loan spell at AC Milan have led to this pivotal moment. For Emery, who endured a difficult summer market hampered by PSR issues, Abraham represents a proven physical presence to support and compete with Ollie Watkins, who has recently found form after a slow start to the season.
This bold January manoeuvre signals Villa's ambition to solidify their attacking options as they push for success both domestically and in Europe.
