After clinching Champions League, Aston Villa confirms their first transfer.

The announcement of Morgan Sanson’s departure came from Aston Villa.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who was on loan at Ligue 1 club Nice, has sealed a permanent move to the French team. Following his January 2021 £14 million transfer from Marseille to Villa Park, he only made 21 appearances for Villa in the Premier League.

Shortly after securing their spot in the Champions League for the upcoming season, Villa released a statement on Wednesday confirming his departure. The statement stated: “Morgan Sanson has completed a permanent move to OGC Nice, as confirmed by Aston Villa.”The midfield player has played in 31 games across all competitions so far this season while on a season-long loan with the Ligue 1 team in 2023–2024.Sanson left Marseille in January 2021 to join Villa, where he played 23 games and scored one goal in the FA Cup against Stevenage in January 2023.

“Morgan’s service to Aston Villa is greatly appreciated, and we at Aston Villa wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”