Confirmed: Aston Villa sanction permanent transfer deal

Mamadou Sylla, the young midfielder, has completed a transfer from Aston Villa to Almeria in his native Spain.

The teenager, who is Barcelona born, started in Villa’s FA Cup third round defeat to Liverpool at Villa Park back in January with Villa forced to field a youth squad because of a coronavirus outbreak at the club’s Bodymoor Heath training ground.

He then also came off the bench in the FA Youth Cup against the same opponent at the end of last season to help secure the trophy.

Sylla was brought into Villa three years ago from Spanish side Canovelles.

He played 35 times for Villa’s Under-18s, helping Sean Verity’s side to win the FA Youth Cup last season with five outings in that competition, and appeared 10 times for Villa’s Premier League 2 side in 2020-21, while Sylla also played in the EFL Trophy against Carlisle United’s first team.