When Andrés García arrived from Levante in January 2025, the timing appeared to work in his favour. Aston Villa paid a reported €7 million for the right-back, and the club clearly saw him as a long-term asset. However, just over a year later, the 23-year-old finds himself in a difficult situation. Spanish radio station Cadena COPE, as relayed by Sport Witness, now reports that Valencia have asked directly about his availability ahead of the summer window, after looking into a deal in January as well.
Valencia’s summer interest puts Aston Villa’s forgotten signing back in the spotlight
According to COPE, Valencia contacted García’s representatives to gauge his feelings about his situation at Aston Villa. The La Liga club have struggled for a long time at right-back, a problem they have tried to cover up with temporary solutions across several windows without finding a real solution. This summer, they intend to change that, and García is high on their list of players who have the attributes they want.
Aston Villa blocked any move in January, with Unai Emery publicly insisting García remained part of his plans. However, García managed just 33 minutes of Premier League football this season, which speaks for itself. Lamare Bogarde, a young defender signed primarily as a centre-back, has started ahead of García at right-back, and it is a clear sign of where García stands in the pecking order at Villa Park.
Are Aston Villa risking the loss of a genuinely promising talent by keeping him sat on the bench?
García’s strengths lie in crossing and tackling, areas where he puts up strong numbers, and he brings real dynamism going forward from right-back. He can also play as a right winger, giving managers options in tight situations. However, his concentration and aerial duels remain a concern, and those gaps explain why Emery has kept him out of key Premier League matches.
The reality is simple. Aston Villa keeping García while giving him virtually no meaningful minutes is hurting his development during what should be his most formative professional years. He is a Spain Under-21 international, which shows he has real potential worth nurturing, and sitting around at club level risks killing the confidence a young defender needs to grow.
Valencia, whatever their own structural problems, would offer him a genuine starting role in a league he already knows. Aston Villa should think carefully about whether holding onto García truly serves the player or merely pads out their squad depth on paper.
