Chelsea have agreed a deal with Aston Villa to send Alejandro Garnacho out on loan until the end of the season, with an obligation to buy.
The Argentinian international, 22, has undergone a medical in Birmingham and agreed personal terms on a four-year deal at Villa Park should the move become a full transfer.
Neither club has revealed the specific conditions attached to the obligation to buy, though they are understood to relate to factors such as appearances made during the loan spell.
Chelsea are confident the criteria will be comfortably met, enabling them to recoup their £43m asking price for a player they acquired from Manchester United for £40m just last September.
United would receive 10 per cent of any eventual fee.
Garnacho’s time at Stamford Bridge proved disappointing, yielding just a single Premier League goal across the entire season.
Across all competitions, the Argentine conjured up eight goals and four assists in 43 outings.
Yet the quality of opposition in many of those contributions told its own story.
Aston Villa have agreed a deal with Chelsea for Alejandro Garnacho
| GETTY
Beyond a brace against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup, his remaining goals came against the likes of Qarabag, Wrexham, Port Vale and Cardiff City.
That lone league goal arguably best encapsulates a spell that never gained momentum.
The move comes in the wake of Chelsea’s blockbuster £117m acquisition of Morgan Rogers from Villa on Tuesday, a deal that set a new British transfer record.
The arrival of Rogers, combined with the signing of Sporting winger Geovany Quenda, left the Blues needing to trim their squad – making Garnacho expendable despite his relatively recent arrival.
The Argentine’s highlight in Chelsea colours was a brace against Arsenal in the League Cup
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For Villa, the Argentine is their fourth summer recruit, following Johan Manzambi, Joao Gomes and Modou Keba Cisse through the door.
Unai Emery’s side have been active on the departures front too, generating close to £200m from player sales.
Youri Tielemans, Donyell Malen, Enzo Barrenechea and Lewis Dobbin have all moved on, giving the club significant financial firepower to reshape their squad ahead of the new campaign.
Garnacho faced growing criticism from sections of the Chelsea fanbase for what was perceived as insufficient effort off the ball.
Chelsea’s record in the Premier League | GETTY/GB NEWS
One notable flashpoint came during a home loss to West Ham, when he was hauled off at half-time having been culpable in the build-up to two goals conceded.
There is no bad blood between the Blues and the Argentine, with Chelsea simply needing to clear the books.
Following the signing of Rogers, a likely front four would see their record-signing play on the left-hand side, with his friend Cole Palmer next to him in the 10.
Esteavo or Pedro Neto will occupy the right wing, and Joao Pedro would likely lead the line.
