Aston Villa

Aston Villa

Premier League • England

Unai Emery snubbed as Aston Villa target pens mind-blowing nine-year contract with La Liga side

Oihan Sancet and Rodrigo de Paul, Athletic Bilbao vs Atletico Madrid

Unai Emery will find it incredibly hard to sign a La Liga ace for Aston Villa after he penned a stunning nine-year contract with his current club.

Villa have extensively looked at the Spanish market for new signings since Emery took charge of the club earlier this season. This makes sense as Emery has strong links with La Liga after managing teams such as Valencia, Sevilla and Villarreal in the division.

At the manager’s request Villa spent £12.5million to sign left-back Alex Moreno from Real Betis in January. And he could be followed to the west Midlands by a few more La Liga stars.

Villa have been credited with an interest in Athletic Bilbao pair Nico Williams and Oihan Sancet, while they are also tracking Dani Ceballos’ situation at Real Madrid.

However, the Villans will struggle to snare attacking midfielder Sancet from Athletic as he has agreed a new long-term deal at the San Mames stadium.

Following rumours Villa could submit a bid for Sancet in the summer transfer window, he has pledged his future to Athletic by signing a mind-blowing nine-year contract.

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The fresh terms are designed to keep him at Athletic until June 2032 and should ward off Villa, forcing Emery to look at alternative midfield additions.

After his new contract was announced by the club, Sancet said: “I’m happy. This is my home, where I want to be. Athletic is a big draw for players from the Basque Country and I want to be here. There is no better club to progress as a footballer and as a person.

Oihan Sancet snubs Aston Villa with new La Liga contract

“The club made a strong commitment to me when I was a youth player, and it is doing so again now with a very ambitious project. I want to repay all the trust placed in me.”

Athletic president Jon Uriarte added: “This is great news for Athletic. We must always have the best players possible, within our own parameters and possibilities. Oihan is a standout player. All our footballers are very important, but since rising to the first team, Oihan has shown he has something different. What’s more he has no limit.”

Sancet would have been a good signing for Villa. He is enjoying an impressive season with Athletic, having bagged eight goals in 25 La Liga appearances. That includes a hat-trick during a 4-1 victory over Cadiz in February.

Sancet is 22 years old, which means he still has plenty of time to develop and become an even more prolific midfielder.

But it does not look like Sancet will be challenging himself in the Premier League any time soon, with a move to Villa now off the cards.

Instead, Villa could focus on landing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Liverpool. Although, former Villa ace Gabby Agbonlahor has explained why that could be a disastrous signing for Emery’s team.