Aston Villa have opened talks for Alejandro Garnacho, turning an exit story at Chelsea into a three-way chase with AS Roma. Villa discussed him during talks around the Morgan Rogers deal, and Garnacho is very open to a move to Villa Park. Chelsea are willing to sell after a debut season that did not justify the fee or the hype around him.
Villa's interest and Garnacho's preference
Fabrizio Romano said Garnacho has prioritised Roma while negotiations continue with Chelsea. That keeps Roma central to the deal, but it does not close the door on Villa, who are looking to strengthen their forward line after the Morgan Rogers sale.
Villa's sporting case is not weak either. They finished 4th in the Premier League on 65 points, while Roma ended 3rd in Serie A on 73 points. Both clubs can point to a strong platform, and that is why this has become more than a simple Chelsea cut-loss story.
Chelsea's position on the sale
Sky Sports reported that Chelsea have made Garnacho available for transfer after he recorded eight goals and four assists in 43 appearances during a difficult debut campaign. He arrived for £40 million in August 2025 and is tied to a contract running until 2032, so Chelsea are not under pressure to accept the first structure that lands on the table.
Roma's proposal adds another layer. Their bid structure includes a €5 million loan fee and a €35 million option to buy, while Chelsea are said to prefer a permanent or guaranteed exit. That difference leaves Villa with a window if they want to push a cleaner deal.
Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League on 52 points, which is a pretty clear sign of why the club are prepared to move on from a winger who has not hit the level expected. The next step is whether Villa turn talks into something firmer before Roma's structure pulls the move back in their direction.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
