Aston Villa transfer news: Sale of Senegal international 'practically done' after £13m offer

Aston Villa have reportedly made a €15m (£12.94m) offer for Almeria midfielder Dion Lopy.

Unai Emery is currently attempting to strengthen his first-team squad ahead of Villa's return to the Champions League in 2026-27.

Last week, a number of reports suggested that a 10-cap Brazil international would be Villa's first major signing of the summer transfer window.

While no developments have followed, Villa may be waiting for the end of the footballing financial year - June 30 - before pressing ahead with confirming any incomings.

According to Cadena Ser, Villa are also attempting to get a deal over the line for Lopy over the coming days.

Who is Dion Lopy?

The report alleges that Villa have already put forward a proposal worth nearly £13m for the five-cap Senegal international.

Lopy spent last season in the second tier of Spanish football, helping Almeria reach the playoff final before suffering defeat to Malaga.

As a result, Almeria have already made plans to find a successor to the 24-year-old, who has 89 appearances across Ligue 1 and La Liga during his career.

A total of four goals and six assists have come from 105 appearances for Almeria, while 62 outings were made across all competitions for Reims prior to his arrival in 2023.

Such was Almeria's commitment to Lopy that he was presented with a six-year contract.

Although Lopy is a Senegal international, the last of his five appearances came back in 2024.

Are Aston Villa restricted in summer transfer window?

While signing the likes of Lopy and Emerson Royal for fees totalling £23m could be viewed as shrewd deals, supporters will be expecting more from the West Midlands outfit.

Emerson would bring added versatility and experience, whereas Lopy would likely be viewed as central-midfield backup to the more established stars while also having the potential to challenge for a first-team role.

Nevertheless, assuming that he leaves Villa Park, fans want a high-profile replacement for Morgan Rogers, both as a number 10 and as a winger.

That all said, the first objective for Villa chiefs is to comply with UEFA's financial regulations. Having been punished for rule breaches in 2025, it is imperative that they do not fall foul of any more regulations in the short term.