Villa sign striker Abraham for £18.25m

Aston Villa have completed the signing of England striker Tammy Abraham in an £18.25m move from Besiktas, marking a high-profile and emotionally charged return to a club that played a defining role in his career.

The 28-year-old has agreed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League title challengers, bringing him back to English football for the first time since his departure to Roma in 2021. Abraham arrives with a strong sense of unfinished business and renewed ambition as Villa continue to build depth and quality for the second half of the season.

Abraham had been on loan at Besiktas from Roma, but the Turkish club activated their £11m buy option earlier this week. Villa will now pay Besiktas a fee of 21m euros (£18.25m) to secure the striker’s services, concluding a deal that has been in the works for several weeks.

Villa head coach Unai Emery has been keen to add attacking reinforcement to support leading scorer Ollie Watkins, and Abraham has long been admired by the Spaniard. The striker previously enjoyed a prolific loan spell at Villa during the 2018-19 season, scoring 26 goals in 40 appearances and playing a central role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League from the Championship.

Speaking after completing the move, Abraham reflected on his connection to the club and the significance of his return.
“Some clubs play a big part in your journey and stay with you,” he 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.”

As part of the agreement, teenage Villa midfielder Yasin Özcan, who has been on loan at Anderlecht this season, will move in the opposite direction to join Besiktas. The deal underlines the strong working relationship between the two clubs and Villa’s willingness to invest in both the present and the future.

Villa’s determination to secure Abraham was highlighted by the involvement of Roberto Olabe, the club’s president of football operations, who travelled to Turkey last week to watch the striker in action as Besiktas edged Kayserispor 1-0. His performance further reinforced Villa’s belief that Abraham can make an immediate impact.

The forward could make his second Villa debut against Brentford on Sunday, offering Emery another powerful attacking option. However, he has not been registered in time to feature in Thursday’s Europa League fixture against Red Bull Salzburg.

In further positive news for Villa supporters, former midfielder Douglas Luiz is set to return to the club on loan. The 27-year-old Brazilian, currently at Nottingham Forest on loan from Juventus, is expected to leave the City Ground before Monday’s transfer deadline, potentially adding experience and familiarity to Emery’s squad.