Aston Villa are battling Fulham and West Ham to re-sign their favorite former player

Aston Villa are battling the likes of Fulham and West Ham to re-sign the former player, with a favorite being named in the race for his signature.

Villa are locked in a tough battle for Europe and a possible Champions League

Fourth place belongs to Villa at the moment, but the points gap between them and the clubs below is narrow.

Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest did not add to their tally, but with Liverpool three points behind in fifth place and Chelsea on a comeback, the position Unai Emery’s side have built up over the course of the season remains intact.

The Premier League’s confirmation that a fifth place in the Champions League is available for 2026/27 has also changed the equation slightly – fifth place is now enough to qualify directly, meaning the pressure on Villa is much less than before.

The Europa League offers a completely different approach.

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He can be tempted.

Villa will host Bologna on Thursday in the second leg of the quarter-finals, defending a 3-1 advantage in the Italian game last week.

Progress would put them in the semi-finals with a real chance of a run to the final in May – and with it, an automatic Champions League place regardless of where they finish at home.

There are six league games left after that, a race that includes Sunderland, Fulham, Tottenham, Burnley, Liverpool and Man City.

It’s a fixture with real difficulty at both ends, and a visit to the Etihad on the final day could be crucial.

In the meantime, Emery is starting to think about the team he wants for next season’s European campaign, and one interesting thing emerged from Monday’s transfer report.

Aston Villa are battling Fulham and West Ham to re-sign Axel Disasi

According to The Sportzine, Villa are among the clubs interested in signing Axel Disasi from Chelsea on a permanent basis this summer, while West Ham and Fulham are also interested in the French defender.

West Ham are described as the frontrunners in the current chase for the loanee, although Chelsea’s willingness to sell permanently means the final position will depend on which club are willing to meet their asking price.

Diasi is a typical Villa area.

He spent the second half of last season on loan at the club, taking part in seven league games during the run.

The move didn’t lead to a permanent one at the time, but experience meant Villa knew exactly what they were getting – a solid, technically proven defender who was regarded as one of the best defenders in Ligue 1 before his £38.5m move to Stamford Bridge in 2023.

His time at Chelsea under Enzo Maresca turned into a complete write-up. He was not included in squads and training groups, going months without competitive football before the deadline day released him on loan at West Ham.

At the London Stadium he has largely rebuilt his form, playing regularly and playing 90 minutes in successive league outings.

At 28, he is in the prime of his career and there is an argument that his time at Chelsea represents an aberration rather than a full picture of what he can offer.

For Villa, adding defensive cover and depth ahead of a season in which they expect to compete in the Champions League makes clear sense.

Chelsea are expected to accept significantly less than the £38.5m they paid to Monaco, given the terms of his move and the nature of his contract.

Whether Villa can overtake West Ham in what looks like direct competition for his signature will come down to price, and what the player himself wants.

As for other defenders, Villa is said to be one of the many clubs chasing Marcos Senesi on a free transfer.

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