Aston Villa have held exploratory talks over a deal to sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka from West Ham United.
The 28-year-old is among Villa’s list of targets for the right-back position, which has been identified as a key position to address this summer as the club seek to provide competition for Matty Cash.
A move for Emerson Royal, the Flamengo right-back formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, did not materialise while Villa’s Kosta Nedeljkovic has interest from Scottish club Rangers and elsewhere.
The Athletic reported in the Transfer DealSheet on July 7 that West Ham would be open to selling Wan-Bissaka this summer, and valued the former Manchester United defender at £25million ($33.5m).
His contract at the London Stadium runs until 2031, having signed a seven-year deal upon joining from Manchester United in a £15million ($20.1m) deal in August 2024.
Wan-Bissaka started all four of DR Congo’s matches at this summer’s World Cup, helping his nation to a 1-1 draw with Portugal, while they led England until the 75th minute in the round-of-32 before Harry Kane’s double turned the tie around.
Wan Bissaka, who played 190 games for Manchester United across five seasons, made 25 league appearances for West Ham last campaign as they suffered relegation to the Championship. The east London club will play second-tier football for the first time since 2011-12.
He started two of West Ham’s final seven matches of the season, displaced by Kyle Walker-Peters at right-back, after the former Southampton defender also covered the position when Wan-Bissaka represented DR Congo at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Wan-Bissaka has made 65 appearances across his two seasons at West Ham, having previously played 190 times for Manchester United, where he won the League Cup and FA Cup in 2023 and 2024 respectively.