Aston Villa Sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka on Loan with Obligation to Buy

Aston Villa have landed Aaron Wan-Bissaka from West Ham on a season-long loan, with the deal carrying a conditional obligation to buy.

The exact trigger for that clause remains under wraps, but West Ham had previously told suitors they valued the DR Congo right-back at around £25m. Villa, who pushed deep into the market for defensive reinforcements, have now moved decisively for a player with serious Premier League mileage and World Cup pedigree.

This is not the first time Villa have tied a loan to a potential permanent move. Last season they brought in Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott on similar terms, with a £35m obligation to buy that would only kick in if he made 10 league appearances. He played just four times, the threshold was never reached, and Elliott returned to Anfield in the summer. Villa know how to build flexibility into these deals.

Wan-Bissaka, 28, sat out West Ham’s opening two Championship fixtures while negotiations unfolded, a clear sign of how close the move was. The right-back had joined the Hammers from Manchester United in 2024 on a seven-year contract, billed as a cornerstone signing for their back line.

His time in east London, though, has been turbulent. He made 65 appearances across two seasons, 25 of them coming in the campaign that ended with West Ham’s relegation to the Championship. A defender with his résumé was never likely to stay out of the top flight for long.

Before his West Ham spell, Wan-Bissaka built his reputation at Manchester United, where he played 190 times and collected silverware: the League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024. His defensive instincts and one‑v‑one prowess made him a regular at Old Trafford and a familiar figure in big domestic occasions.

On the international stage, he has become a key figure for DR Congo. Wan-Bissaka started all four of their matches at the 2026 World Cup, anchoring the right flank as they battled their way into the round of 32. That tournament hardened his profile as a defender who can live with the game’s highest tempo.

Now he arrives at Villa with a point to prove and a clause that could turn this loan into something far more permanent.