OFFICIAL: Aston Villa announce first summer signing

Cameron Smith

• 10 Feb 2025 14:48 GMT
• 3 min read

Breaking

Aston Villa have officially announced the signing of Kasimpasa defender Yasin Ozcan on a pre-contract agreement.

Unai Emery’s side are believed to have paid a transfer fee in the region of €8 million to land the talented 18-year-old, and he will remain with Kasimpasa until the end of the season before joining Villa this summer.

Ozcan made his first-team debut for Kasimpasa at the age of 16 in August 2022 and he has already racked up over 80 senior appearances for the club, scoring five goals.

READ MORE: Chelsea complete signing of 16-year-old wonderkid

He has 12 caps for Turkey’s U21 side and he is expected to provide centre-back depth for Villa following Diego Carlo’s move to Fenerbahce during the January transfer window.

Ozcan is yet to make his senior debut for Turkey, although he was named on the bench against Montenegro back in November and is in line to receive his first senior cap shortly.

READ MORE: Man Utd HUMILIATED by Sancho as Rashford stars on Aston Villa debut

Aston Villa’s recent transfer business

The imminent arrival of Ozcan continues Aston Villa’s impressive recruitment drive at the start of 2025, with Donyell Malen, Andres Garcia, Marco Asensio (loan), Marcus Rasford (loan) and Axel Disasi (loan) all joining the club in January.

Ahead of Aston Villa’s FA Cup clash against Tottenham Hotspur, Emery was asked for his thoughts on the winter transfer window.

“The transfer window in January is very difficult, but we were competing very well,” Emery told reporters.

“Now, we have the challenge for the rest of the season to try to recover some good performances collectively and individually that we didn’t have in the first part of the season.

“In the league we’re not in a position where we can feel comfortable. Our objective and target is to be in the European positions. More or less, we are but not completely.”