Aston Villa's Pursuit of Aaron Wan-Bissaka for Defensive Upgrade

Unai Emery has made his mind up. If Aston Villa are going to live comfortably among Europe’s elite, the right side of their defence needs sharpening – and Aaron Wan-Bissaka has moved to the top of the list.

The Villa manager views right-back as a priority position this summer, a spot that must be upgraded if his side are to cope with the demands of Champions League football alongside domestic battles. Matty Cash remains the current first-choice, but Emery wants genuine, high-level competition. Not a squad filler. A specialist.

Wan-Bissaka, as reported by The Athletic, fits that brief perfectly. At 28, he brings a reputation as one of the most accomplished one‑on‑one defenders in the game, a full-back whose timing in the tackle and recovery speed have long made attackers think twice about taking him on. For a coach who demands tactical flexibility and defensive discipline from his back line, the profile is almost tailor-made.

Villa’s interest has hardened after other avenues closed. Early in the window, the club explored several options for the role, only to see deals stall. A move for Emerson Royal, now at Flamengo and formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, never got close to completion. With that route blocked, Villa’s recruitment team turned decisively toward Wan-Bissaka as they continue to build a squad they believe can handle the step up from last season’s Europa League triumph and fourth-place Premier League finish to the brutal rhythm of Champions League football.

On the other side of the deal sits a club in transition. West Ham United, reeling from relegation to the Championship for the first time since the 2011-12 season, are understood to be open to letting Wan-Bissaka go. The financial and sporting reset that comes with second-tier football has forced difficult decisions, and a sale of a high-value defender with top-flight pedigree would help reshape the squad.

Wan-Bissaka featured 27 times in all competitions for West Ham last season and chipped in with three assists, but the story of his campaign turned sour in the run-in. As the pressure intensified, his place in the side slipped away. He started only two of the Hammers’ final seven matches, often watching on as Kyle Walker-Peters got the nod instead. For a player who arrived at the London Stadium on a seven-year contract running to 2031, after a £15 million move from Manchester United, it marked a jarring shift in status.

That is part of what makes a potential move to Villa so significant. It would offer a reset, a route back into the sharp end of European competition for a defender whose club form has dipped but whose reputation on the international stage remains strong.

While West Ham stumbled, Wan-Bissaka’s standing with DR Congo only grew firmer. He started all four of their matches at this summer’s World Cup, delivering a series of assured displays that drew attention from scouts tracking full-backs capable of handling high-pressure tournament football. His reading of danger, calmness in duels and ability to shut down his flank resurfaced on the biggest stage.

Those qualities are not new. Before his London spell, Wan-Bissaka carved out a reputation at Old Trafford as one of Europe’s most reliable defensive full-backs. Across five seasons with Manchester United, he racked up 190 appearances and became a key part of sides that lifted the EFL Cup in 2022-23 and the FA Cup in 2023-24. His attacking output was often questioned, but when United needed someone to lock down a wing, they turned to him.

Now, Villa are weighing up whether that same defensive steel is the final piece in Emery’s back-line puzzle. For a club pushing into a new era and a player searching for a fresh stage at the top level, the next move could reshape both trajectories.