Plymouth Argyle given potential boost in Aston Villa pursuit
Plymouth Argyle are keen to bring Aston Villa midfielder Finn Azaz back to the club this summer.
Plymouth Argyle’s hopes of re-signing Aston Villa midfielder Finn Azaz have been given a potential boost after he was left out of their pre-season trip to the United States.
Azaz spent last season on loan at Home Park and played a crucial role in the club’s promotion to the Championship.
The 22-year-old scored eight goals and registered 10 assists in 39 appearances in all competitions during an impressive temporary spell at the club to help Steven Schumacher’s side to the League One title.
However, it seems that Azaz is not in Unai Emery’s immediate first-team plans at Villa Park after he did not feature in Villa’s opening pre-season friendly at Walsall on Saturday and he was not included in the 26-man squad that made the trip to America.
Azaz joined Villa from West Bromwich Albion in July 2021, but he has yet to make a senior appearance for the club.
The Pilgrims have secured the signing of another of their loanees from last season, with Morgan Whittaker completing a permanent move from Swansea City in a deal worth at least £1 million, breaking the club’s transfer record.
Argyle have also brought in Julio Pleguezuelo, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Lewis Gibson and Conor Hazard this summer as they prepare to return to the second tier for the first time since 2010.
What has Steven Schumacher said on a potential Plymouth Argyle return for Finn Azaz?
Schumacher made no secret of his desire to bring Azaz back to the club, but was non-committal on the prospects of agreeing a deal.
“If we could bring him back I would like to bring him back because he is a good player, if he wants to come back,” Schumacher told Plymouth Live.
“We will have to see.”
Should Plymouth Argyle re-sign Finn Azaz?
Argyle should definitely pursue a return for Azaz this summer.
He was a key part of their promotion last season and his outstanding goals and assists return would likely have been significantly higher had he not been sidelined for almost three months of the campaign with an ankle injury.
Loanees were integral to the Pilgrims’ success last season, with the likes of Azaz, Whittaker, Bali Mumba and Sam Cosgrove all thriving at Home Park and it would be a huge boost if they could bring back another of their main men after Whittaker’s return.
There may be some question marks over whether Azaz is ready for the Championship, but he enjoyed excellent loan spells with Cheltenham Town and Newport County in League Two before seamlessly making the step up to League One with Argyle last season, so it would be no surprise to see him adapt to the second tier.
Azaz is unlikely to have a future at Villa Park and with Villa targeting ambitious signings this summer, he will be pushed further down the pecking order.
A move to the Championship is the next logical step in Azaz’s development and a return to Plymouth is a move that would be beneficial for all parties.
It has been a strong summer of recruitment for Argyle so far and after Azaz was omitted from Villa’s pre-season tour, Schumacher will be increasingly hopeful he can get a deal over the line for the midfielder.
