Aston Villa have dashed out of the blocks in this transfer window.
The club quickly agreed a deal to sign Philippe Coutinho permanently from Barcelona, paying less than the original €40m purchase clause, and then secured Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer, with his Marseille contract coming to an end.
Diego Carlos was added, with the Brazilian finally getting his move from Sevilla to English football after failing to join Newcastle United in the January window.
Kamara is going through a period of career change right now. Not only does he find himself with a new club, but he’s also in the current France squad and will hope to show enough so he can stay there for the World Cup.
L’Equipe explain the 22-year-old has been getting closer to Lucas Digne in the squad, preparing for his move to Aston Villa.
On that transfer, he’s quoted as saying: “I spoke with Lucas, yes. He explained the project to me, how he saw things, how he felt. It happened naturally.”
Kamara also made it clear that Steven Gerrard played a huge role in his transfer decision: “When the coach comes to see you at home, what he makes the trip, explains the project to you, you are happy, he says. His speech was coherent. I enjoyed it very much. When such a coach tells you his ambition for you in the years to come, that he will continue to make me grow, progress, that changes a lot. He was one of the best midfielders in the world in his position. I look forward to joining him to work.”
Things are looking positive for Aston Villa ahead of the new season, and Gerrard is tasked with converting good transfer work into performance on the pitch.
