Aston Villa have completed £77million worth of Deadline Day signings after confirming Ibrahim Mbaye and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, leaving Leon Bailey’s future as the major unresolved question at Villa Park.
Unai Emery has now received the two additions he expected before Tuesday night’s transfer deadline.
Mbaye has completed his £47m move from Paris Saint-Germain, while Harwood-Bellis has arrived from Southampton in a package worth up to £30m.
Tammy Abraham has also decided to remain at Villa despite the club opening the door to a potential departure.
With Emery explicitly saying he is “not expecting more” after those two incoming deals, Villa’s extraordinary summer rebuild appears close to completion.
Aston Villa complete £77m Deadline Day double
Mbaye was the first major deal confirmed.
The 18-year-old Senegal international completed his permanent transfer from PSG after Villa had previously agreed a package worth approximately €55m, or £47m.
ReadAstonVilla has covered the transfer from agreement through medical and now completion, with the final development detailed in our Aston Villa seal £47m Ibrahim Mbaye signing from PSG report.
Reuters also confirmed that Mbaye has now completed his permanent switch after progressing through PSG’s academy and first team.
Harwood-Bellis followed.
Villa had seen two bids rejected before eventually agreeing a £25m guaranteed fee plus £5m in potential add-ons with Southampton.
Our existing Aston Villa finally get their man in £30m deal after two rejected bids article tracks that pursuit and should remain the canonical Harwood-Bellis transfer URL.
Southampton have now officially confirmed that the defender has completed a permanent move to Aston Villa.
Together, the two deals represent a commitment of up to £77m and address two obvious areas in Emery’s rebuilt squad.
Mbaye strengthens an attack which has already added Nicolas Jackson, while Harwood-Bellis helps fill the vacancy created by Ezri Konsa’s move to Arsenal.
Tammy Abraham closes door on Aston Villa exit
One proposed departure has also been resolved.
Ipswich had reached an agreement with Villa over taking Abraham on loan, but the striker ultimately decided against leaving Villa Park.
Emery confirmed that decision after the Arsenal defeat.
“Tammy Abraham’s decision is to stay here,” he said.
The manager also revealed Villa had “opened the door” for Abraham to depart before he chose to remain.
That progression is covered fully in our Tammy Abraham makes Aston Villa transfer decision after Ipswich agreement article.
Emery has nevertheless warned Abraham he will demand substantially more from him after admitting the striker “didn’t perform like we wanted last year”.
His decision gives Villa additional centre-forward depth behind Jackson, particularly while Brian Madjo remains unavailable through injury.
Leon Bailey future remains unresolved
Bailey is now the biggest senior transfer question still hanging over Villa.
The Jamaica international has been expected to leave throughout the closing stages of the window.
ReadAstonVilla previously reported how Villa were considering a Leon Bailey contract extension before a potential Sevilla loan, with the proposal designed to protect his value beyond this season.
No agreement with Sevilla has materialised.
Saudi interest has subsequently emerged, with Al-Ittihad reportedly considering Bailey among several attacking options before their own registration deadline.
That is not yet enough to suggest an exit is close.
Villa have also previously received approaches from Hull City, Al Diriyah and other clubs during a complicated summer for the winger. Our Leon Bailey exit report involving three interested clubs details that earlier stage of the saga.
The next trigger is clear.
Agreement, Bailey choosing a destination, a medical or a completed transfer would justify another standalone development.
Until then, there is little value in another article based solely on interest.
Unai Emery expects Aston Villa business to be finished
That Bailey uncertainty aside, Villa appear unlikely to make another signing.
After discussing Mbaye and Harwood-Bellis following Monday night’s defeat to Arsenal, Emery said:
“I am not expecting more.”
He added that Villa had replaced the players they intended to replace during an enormous summer overhaul.
That makes speculative late links such as Joshua Zirkzee particularly difficult to justify without major progression from a strong source.
Villa have already completed the two incoming deals Emery expected.
Abraham has chosen to stay.
Bailey’s future remains open.
And with the Premier League transfer window closing at 23:00 BST tonight, the final hours should now be about resolving outstanding departures rather than another major rebuild of Emery’s squad.
