Aston Villa look set to continue their work in this summer’s transfer window with the sale of a player who has hardly featured under Unai Emery.
Aston Villa players returned for pre-season this week, with Unai Emery keen to continue the club’s rapid rise next season.
After a fourth placed finish last campaign secured a spot in the Champions League, Villa frustratingly had to sell Tim Iroegbunam, Lewis Dobbin and Douglas Luiz in order to comply with Premier League spending rules this summer.
With the 30th June PSR deadline having passed, Villa have been concentrating on incomings but they now look set to move on a player who has seen game time hard to come by since Emery’s arrival.
Calum Chambers set to join Cardiff City
That player is Calum Chambers, who Villa signed from Arsenal for free in January 2022.
What seemed a decent bit of business at the time has not worked out that way, with Chambers managing just 30 Premier League appearances in two-and-a-half years.
Emery was keen for Chambers to move on last summer but a transfer never materialised.
Now, it looks as though the 29-year-old will finally secure an exit, with a move to Championship club Cardiff City reportedly ‘close’.
That is according to Wales Online Cardiff City correspondent Glen Williams, who posted on ‘X’: ‘Cardiff close to signing Calum Chambers from Villa.
Almost 200 PL apps over last decade. Medical booked in. Progressed quickly this week but player they’ve liked for a while.
Club like he can play centre-back, right-back and defensive midfield. Like I said, I like the level of transfer target they’re pitching at’.
Aston Villa will be relieved to shift deadwood ahead of next season
It has been clear for a long time that Chambers does not have a future at Villa Park and a move to Cardiff appears to be the best solution for all parties.
Having signed for Arsenal from Southampton at the age of 19, Chambers’ career is one of unfulfilled potential for the player whose ‘qualities are immense’ according to Arsene Wenger in 2016.
A fresh start in the Championship should see Chambers play regular football whilst Villa have freed up space in their squad.
When you consider Chambers started just one league game last season, this was a deal Villa simply had to get done.
