Aston Villa sign Lindelof as Sancho and Elliott close in on loan switches

Aston Villa have completed the signing of former Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof on a two-year contract and are finalising loan agreements for Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott, Sport360NG reports.

Lindelof, 31, had been without a club since leaving United at the end of last season and joins Villa as a free agent. The Sweden international made over 250 appearances at Old Trafford before his contract expired.

Sancho, 25, is set for yet another fresh start after rejecting a move to Roma earlier in the window, with Juventus also monitoring his situation. Villa will cover 80% of the winger’s wages, with performance bonuses expected to take that figure close to the full amount.

The England international has spent the last 18 months on loan at Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea, though neither side opted to make the deal permanent. Chelsea even paid United a £5m penalty for failing to trigger an obligation to buy clause.

Meanwhile, Liverpool midfielder Elliott, 22, is closing in on a switch that includes a mandatory £35m purchase option. He has played just once for the Reds this season, coming off the bench against Newcastle, and has been vocal about not wanting to “waste years” without regular football. Last year, despite Liverpool’s title-winning campaign, he featured in only 18 league matches, mostly as a substitute.

Both Sancho and Elliott are undergoing medicals and completing paperwork ahead of their moves to Villa Park.

Why Villa needed reinforcements

Villa’s transfer activity comes in response to a sluggish start to the campaign. A 3-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace, their first loss at Villa Park in a year, underlined weaknesses in Unai Emery’s squad. Emery’s side are winless in their opening three league fixtures and have yet to score a goal.

Financial restrictions meant business was always likely to come late, but the arrivals of Lindelof, Sancho, and Elliott are seen as timely boosts.

Elliott’s performances at this summer’s Under-21 European Championship in Slovakia further underline his pedigree. He scored four times, including in the semi-final and final, and was named player of the tournament. At 22, he already boasts two EFL Cups, a Premier League title, a UEFA Super Cup, and two U21 Euros.

Sancho, however, arrives with more to prove. Once regarded as one of England’s brightest talents, his United career has stalled amid poor form and a well-publicised falling-out with Erik ten Hag. He was exiled from training for several months before returning to Dortmund, where he helped them reach the 2024 Champions League final.

End of the road for Sancho at United?

Sancho’s future at Old Trafford looks increasingly uncertain. Although United retain an option to extend his contract until 2027, his relationship with the club has deteriorated badly. Since August 2023, his only appearance came in the 2024 Community Shield.

Efforts to reconcile the winger with Ten Hag never truly succeeded, and subsequent loan spells at Dortmund and Chelsea failed to revive his form. For both player and club, this latest move may mark the beginning of a permanent split.