UPDATE (23 July): It’s confirmed. Garnacho’s medical has been completed in Birmingham and the deal is fully agreed — a season-long loan with an obligation to buy set at £42.5m if certain conditions are met, plus a four-year contract that takes effect on a permanent move. A long-standing Emery target, the winger joins just a year after arriving at Chelsea from Manchester United. (Sources: Sky Sports, Goal.)
Aston Villa have agreed a deal to sign Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea, with Fabrizio Romano reporting the move as “here we go.” The medical is booked and Unai Emery has got his man.
The structure: loan with an obligation to buy
The clubs have reached a club-to-club agreement for an initial loan with a buy clause that becomes mandatory if certain conditions are met — in effect, an obligation to buy. It’s a notable shift from Chelsea’s earlier stance, when they were holding out for a permanent sale or nothing.
Emery’s push
Villa boss Unai Emery was the driving force behind the deal and believes he can take the 22-year-old Argentina winger to the next level. With the medical already booked, the move is close to completion, pending the usual formalities and official confirmation.
Part of a two-way Chelsea–Villa summer
The switch continues busy business between the clubs: only days ago, Chelsea signed Morgan Rogers from Villa in a British-record £117m deal. Garnacho himself only joined Chelsea from Manchester United for around £40m last year. For the Rogers deal, see our full story here.
Source: Fabrizio Romano and corroborating reports. The move is subject to a medical and official confirmation.