Aston Villa defender Triston Rowe has travelled to Belgium as the highly-rated 19-year-old closes in on a move to Charleroi after attracting interest from elsewhere.
Rowe is expected to complete the remaining formalities surrounding the proposed transfer after another summer in which his Villa future has attracted attention.
Jacob Tanswell reports that Rowe has travelled to Belgium to finalise the move to Charleroi, with a medical expected if the remaining paperwork progresses as planned.
The exact structure of the transfer has not yet been confirmed, so it would be premature to describe the deal as either permanent or a loan until further details emerge.
Aston Villa youngster closes in on exit
A move would follow a summer in which Rowe was given opportunities to impress Unai Emery during pre-season.
The defender featured in several of Villa’s summer fixtures after returning from an encouraging spell in France.
Villa had nevertheless been prepared to consider offers for the teenager, with previous reports claiming the club could seek to include a buy-back clause if Rowe left permanently.
That stance would allow Villa to give Rowe the opportunity to establish himself elsewhere while potentially retaining some control over his long-term future.
Charleroi now appear to have moved ahead of his other suitors as the Belgian club attempt to complete the deal before the transfer deadline.
Triston Rowe attracted interest after France spell
Rowe’s options increased after an impressive season with FC Annecy.
The England youth international became an important first-team player during his spell in Ligue 2, gaining the sort of regular senior experience that would have been difficult to obtain at Villa Park.
Those performances subsequently attracted attention from clubs in England and elsewhere in Europe.
Rowe returned to Villa during the summer and was involved in Emery’s pre-season programme, but another move now appears to be the next stage of his development.
If the transfer is completed, Charleroi would give Rowe another opportunity to build on the considerable senior experience he gained in France.
For Villa, the details of the agreement will be particularly important.
A permanent transfer containing future protections such as a buy-back or sell-on clause would allow Rowe to continue developing while leaving Villa with the possibility of benefiting if his career continues its upward trajectory.
