Aston Villa confirm exit of £10m signing ahead of Premier League season-opener with Newcastle United

Aston Villa have confirmed an exit ahead of their Premier League season-opener with Newcastle United.

Newcastle and Villa have already played during pre-season, sharing an entertaining 3-3 draw in the United States over the weekend. But the two top four hopefuls will face off again in just over two weeks to open their Premier League campaigns.

It’s set to be one of the most intriguing games of the first round of Premier League fixtures, with both clubs hoping to qualify for Europe during the coming season.

The Magpies secured a top four finish last season, while Villa landed a Conference League spot, and both teams have spent significantly this summer. Newcastle spent big to land Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes, while Villa have snapped up Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Moussa Diaby as they look to bridge the gap to the top four.

Both sides are now hard at work preparing for that first opening clash, and we have already been given a taste of what kind of game it may be after that six-goal thriller, albeit the competitive meeting should be a much tighter affair.

Speaking after the game, Villa star Emi Buendia said: “It’s important to play these kinds of games against a Premier League opponent.

“They are a good opponent. We started well, showing our philosophy with the ball and trying to press high. They changed a little with their formation, playing three at the back, but then we tried to defend well. It was a good match to start this pre-season in the USA.”

Ahead of Villa’s opening Premier League clash with the Magpies, the Midlands club have confirmed an exit, with Morgan Sanson joining OGC Nice on loan for the season. Sanson joined Villa for more than £10million in 2021, but he has not lived up to expectation. The midfielder joined Strasbourg on loan last season, and he will now return to France to link up with Nice.