Abraham completes Aston Villa return from Besiktas
London, Jan 28
England striker Tammy Abraham has completed a move back to Aston Villa from Besiktas, signing a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League title contenders.
The 28-year-old returns to English football for the first time since joining Roma in 2021. Abraham had been on loan at Besiktas, but the Turkish club activated their 11 million pounds purchase option from Roma on Monday. It was reported that Villa would pay Besiktas a fee of 21 million euros to secure his transfer, reports Xinhua.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has been searching for additional striking options to support Ollie Watkins and has maintained a long-standing interest in Abraham. The forward previously spent the 2018-19 season on loan at Villa, playing a key role in their promotion from the Championship with 26 goals in 40 appearances.
"Some clubs play a big part in your journey and stay with you," Abraham said.
"I've scored goals, faced challenges, and grown as a player and as a man. I'm back at Aston Villa, ready to work and give everything," he added.
Abraham was an integral part of the Villa side that won promotion to the Premier League in 2018/19, netting 25 league goals and scoring the crucial penalty in the shoot-out win over West Bromwich Albion that took the club to the Play-Off Final at Wembley.
His goalscoring exploits that season saw him become the first Villa player since Andy Gray in 1976/77 to hit the back of the net 25 times in a campaign.
After leaving Villa Park, he went on to win the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea before helping AS Roma lift the UEFA Europa Conference League.
As part of the deal, teenage Villa midfielder Yasin Ozcan, who has been on loan at Anderlecht this season, will join Besiktas.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Smart business by Villa. They know his quality and he knows the club. Having a proven goal-scorer as an option off the bench could be the difference in a tight title race. The Premier League is so competitive this year.
As an Indian football fan, it's great to see players returning to clubs where they have history. Shows loyalty works both ways. Hope he scores against the big teams! The fee seems a bit steep for a backup striker though, no?
His statement was so heartfelt. "Some clubs stay with you" – that's true for fans too! Villa stayed with me after that magical promotion run. Excited to see the old hero return. All the best, Tammy! 💜
Good move. He brings experience and a winning mentality from Chelsea and Roma. But at 28, he needs to hit the ground running. The Premier League is faster and more physical than Serie A or the Turkish league. Let's see if he can adapt quickly.
Interesting to see a young player like Ozcan going the other way. Hope it's a good deal for all parties. Abraham's story is like a proper homecoming. Hope he helps Villa challenge for the title! The league needs more competition at the top.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.