Aston Villa have agreed an initial loan deal to sign West Ham United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the current campaign, with an obligation to buy the 28-year-old right-back at the end of the season as manager Unai Emery strengthens his backline.
Aston Villa are working to finalise the agreement for Wan-Bissaka after an initial straight loan offer was rejected by the London club, according to reporting on the negotiation. The option to buy will become a mandatory obligation if a number of specific conditions are met over the course of the campaign. The 28-year-old defender was given permission to travel for a medical in the Midlands, pushing to add depth to Unai Emery’s squad before the league season gets underway. Wan-Bissaka is set to have a medical with Villa on Wednesday.
Contract Terms, Medicals, and Previous Valuations
The Athletic reported on July 7 that West Ham would be open to selling Wan-Bissaka this summer at that valuation, while Villa had been exploring a deal in recent weeks. The player has missed Championship club West Ham’s first two matches of the season while negotiations progressed.
For Wan-Bissaka, a move to Villa Park offers a vital lifeline to remain in the Premier League following a difficult period that saw West Ham suffer relegation to the Championship last term. His status as a regular starter was also compromised toward the end of the campaign, as he was frequently displaced in the lineup by Kyle Walker-Peters. Wan-Bissaka started two of West Ham’s final seven matches of the season, after the former Southampton defender also covered the position when Wan-Bissaka represented DR Congo at the Africa Cup of Nations.
International Pedigree and Squad Reinforcement
Despite his club side’s collective struggles, Wan-Bissaka has maintained a high individual profile on the international stage. He remains a key figure for DR Congo, starting all four of his nation’s matches during the recent World Cup (also noted as starting matches during their recent campaign). Unai Emery has targeted this international pedigree to elevate the quality of his backline and provide competition for Matty Cash at right-back. Manager Emery was keen to strengthen at right-back, while a move for Emerson Royal, the Flamengo right-back formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, did not materialise.
Wan-Bissaka has made 65 appearances across his two seasons at West Ham, having previously played 190 times for Manchester United, where he won the League Cup and FA Cup in 2023 and 2024 respectively. The deal comes during a busy summer of transfer activity for both clubs. West Ham have sold Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham for £85m and Crysencio Summerville for £60m this summer, though captain Jarrod Bowen has signed a new contract. Villa have also had a busy summer in the transfer market, most notably selling Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for £117m, leaving them with the lowest net spend in the Premier League, at about £110m after sales are taken into account.
Villa’s Summer Business and Upcoming Fixtures
Aston Villa’s summer recruitment drive has brought in midfielders Johan Manzambi and Joao Gomes, as well as Chelsea winger Alejandro Garnacho on a loan deal with an obligation to buy. They have also added highly rated young centre-back Modou Keba Cisse. Meanwhile, Kosta Nedeljkovic is set to join Rangers on an initial loan but with a £4m obligation, based on appearances.
Unai Emery’s squad begins their Premier League campaign at Brighton on Sunday (14:00 BST). Villa will also compete in the Champions League after finishing fourth and winning the Europa League under Unai Emery last season.
