‘Good business rather than late business’ – Villa sign Sancho & Elliott

Aston Villa have signed Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho and Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott on loan, with both parties agreeing to pay a purchase fee.

Elliott, 22, will receive a £35 million package, which includes sell-on and buy-back clauses.

Elliott’s signature was contested by Villa, who also turned down West Ham and Fulham earlier this summer.

Given the potential of the England Under-21 international and the fact that regular first-team football will aid his development, Liverpool thought the inclusion of a buy-back clause was necessary.

Sancho, 25, had earlier turned down a move to Roma, and another Italian side, Juventus, had expressed interest.

Villa are guaranteed to pay 80% of Sancho’s over-£200k-a-week wages, while Manchester United anticipates full pay for the entire season thanks to the loan fee and readily achievable bonuses.

Victor Lindelof, a former United defender, was signed by Villa for a two-year deal earlier on the transfer deadline day, with the Swede set to leave for free.

Sancho has spent the last 18 months on loan at Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund, but neither side made a permanent deal, with Chelsea paying a £5 million fine for breaking their contract.

His United contract expires the summer of 2018, but Ruben Amorim’s side has the option to extend it to prevent him from leaving for nothing.

Aston Villa needed reinforcements, not whether they arrived on deadline day or before.

The squad’s frailties were exposed by Sunday’s 3-0 home loss to Crystal Palace, their first Premier League defeat at Villa Park in a year.

In their first three Premier League games, Villa have only earned a point and lack the energy that has been hallmark of Unai Emery’s side.

A worrying decline has resulted in the need for reinforcements in the wake of Villa’s commitment to profit and sustainability regulations.

This summer, pushing back moves were always going to happen, as were the Under-21 European Championship and the Club World Cup. Therefore, it needs to be seen as good business rather than late business when Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho arrive, in addition to Victor Lindelof.

Elliott won the player of the tournament award after scoring twice in the quarter-final, a double in the semi-final, and the opener against Germany in the final.

He has won the Premier League, the EFL Cup twice, the Super Cup, and two Under-21 European Championships and is a mature and respectful 22-year-old with a lot of experience.

The lack of game time at Anfield was Elliott’s only gripe. He lacks any evidence, but he will give a Villa team that looked lifeless at the start of the season class and guile.

Sancho, in contrast, appears to be moving up a gear in his quest to establish his ability to perform best in the Premier League.

When Marcus Rashford was on a loan from Manchester United last year, Emery successfully utilized his ability to make a comeback in the England squad.