Aston Villa's first move for Aaron Wan-Bissaka was a straight loan, and West Ham rejected it. The deal now sits around the club's valuation, with West Ham holding out for around £25million while Aston Villa keep looking for right-back cover after Kosta Nedeljković's planned season-long loan to Rangers.

Villa's right-back need

Villa finished fourth in the Premier League and collected 65 points last season, so Unai Emery is still trying to add depth rather than patch the squad late. The right-back gap matters more after Nedeljković moved on, because Matty Cash no longer has the same cover behind him.

Wan-Bissaka is not being treated like a punt. He averaged a 6.93 rating across four World Cup appearances for DR Congo, which helps explain why Villa were willing to start with a loan approach. That sort of profile fits a side that wants someone ready to play now, not a long development project.

West Ham's stance is firmer than the original bid. One side of the story is a straight loan discussion; the other is a sale figure near £25million. Those two positions are still a long way apart.

Palhinha adds another live negotiation

Villa's summer business is not limited to Wan-Bissaka. They have reopened talks with Bayern München for João Palhinha, and Bayern sporting director Max Eberl said: "We had read that Aston Villa had contacted us regarding João, and that is correct. But we will not be able to reach an agreement with Aston Villa. It simply doesn't work because we are not in a position where we have to do everything that others try to impose on us. So there is an overall situation involving three parties who have to reach an agreement, and unfortunately, there is currently no agreement between all three parties."

Bayern finished first in the Bundesliga, so their resistance is not a surprise. Villa may still push on both fronts, but the Wan-Bissaka chase remains the cleaner indicator of what Emery wants next: a defender who can come in quickly and a seller who is willing to move off a hard price.

Villa are still talking, and the only figure publicly attached to Wan-Bissaka remains West Ham's around £25million ask.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →