Sancho & Elliott join Villa on loan deals

Aston Villa signed Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho in late loan deals on transfer deadline day

Aston Villa have signed Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott and Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho on loan deals, with Elliott's move including an obligation to buy.

The package for Elliott, 22, will cost £35m, including sell-on and buy-back clauses.

Villa beat off competition from RB Leipzig for Elliott's signature, while the midfielder rejected interest from West Ham and Fulham earlier in the summer.

Liverpool viewed the inclusion of a buy-back clause as essential given the England Under-21 international's potential, and that regular first-team football will aid his development.

Sancho, 25, had turned down a move to Roma earlier in the window, while there was also interest from another Italian side Juventus.

Villa are guaranteed to pay 80% of Sancho's over £200k-a-week wages, while the loan fee and easily achievable bonuses mean Manchester United expect to get full wage coverage overall.

Earlier on transfer deadline day, Villa signed former United defender Victor Lindelof on a two-year deal, with the Swede available on a free transfer.

Sancho has spent the past 18 months on loan at Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea but neither club made the deal permanent, with the Stamford Bridge side paying a £5m penalty for reneging on an obligation to sign him.

His United contract expires next summer, but Ruben Amorim's side have an option to extend it to avoid him leaving for nothing.

Sancho joined United from Dortmund for £73m four years ago, but has not played for them since the Community Shield in August 2024.

Analysis: Villa needed reinforcements

It did not matter whether they came on deadline day or before, but Aston Villa needed reinforcements.

Sunday's 3-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace - their first Premier League loss at Villa Park in 12 months - exposed frailties in the squad.

Villa have failed to score in their opening three Premier League games, earning just a point and lacking the energy which has been associated with Unai Emery's side.

There has been a worrying drop-off, hastening the need for reinforcements amid the backdrop of a tricky financial picture with Villa needing to abide by profit and sustainability rules.

Late deals were always going to happen this summer, the Under-21 European Championship and the Club World Cup pushing back moves. So when Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho arrive - in addition to Victor Lindelof - it needs to be seen as good business, rather than late business.

Elliott took his big moments to shine during the European Championship in Slovakia, scoring once in the quarter-final, a double in the semi-final and the opener in the final against Germany - winning the player of the tournament award.

He is respectful and mature and at just 22 has an extraordinary amount of experience, having won the Premier League, the EFL Cup twice, the Super Cup and two Under-21 European Championships.

Elliott's only issue at Anfield was the lack of game time. He has nothing to prove and will add class and guile to a Villa team who have looked lifeless early in the season.

Sancho, in contrast, seems to be entering another phase of trying to prove he can be a top performer in the Premier League.

Emery harnessed Marcus Rashford's ability and managed to help him return to the England squad during a loan from Manchester United last season.

Given Sancho's fall from grace it would take some revival for him to return to the Three Lions set-up and he needs to find the right home.