---
title: "Aston Villa: Anwar El Ghazi expected to stay"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-anwar-el-ghazi-expected-to-stay/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Aston Villa"
published: "2021-08-10T19:40:02Z"
modified: "2021-08-10T19:40:02Z"
---

# Aston Villa: Anwar El Ghazi expected to stay

**Aston Villa winger Anwar El Ghazi is expected to stay at Villa Park, according to [Ashley Preece of Birmingham Live](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-doucoure-wesley-21271464).**

### The Lowdown: Source’s Tuesday update

Reports from a [Villa source](https://www.footballinsider247.com/sources-aston-villa-green-lights-exits-of-wesley-and-senior-teammate/) on Tuesday morning suggested that Dean Smith was happy to let El Ghazi and Wesley Moraes go this summer.

[Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/sources-aston-villa-green-lights-exits-of-wesley-and-senior-teammate/) claimed that the pair had been told they were free to find new clubs, days after El Ghazi netted a penalty in Villa’s [3-1](https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/august/Aston-Villa-3-1-Salernitana/) pre-season win over Salernitana**.**

However, it appears as if that is not the case, going off reliable reporter Preece just hours later.

\[freshpress-poll id=”367439″\]

### The Latest: Preece’s claim

Preece shared a story on Villa’s transfer state of play when it comes to incomings and outgoings on [Birmingham Live](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-doucoure-wesley-21271464).

Within his report, he addressed El Ghazi’s future in the Midlands, admitting he ‘is expected to stick around’ – a fairly important five-word update due to the rumours earlier in the day.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”368552″\]

### The Verdict: Keep

El Ghazi, who pundit Adam Clarke labelled as [‘remarkable’](https://thisisfutbol.com/2020/12/blogs/premier-league/aston-villa-pundit-heaps-praise-on-anwar-el-ghazi/) last season, has just come off his best scoring campaign for [five](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/anwar-el-ghazi/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/183720) years, so keeping hold of him this summer appears to be a smart move.

With Jack Grealish sealing his move to Manchester City, Smith would have just [three](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/kader/verein/405) fit wingers in Leon Bailey, Emiliano Buendia and Bertrand Traore, should they sell El Ghazi.

The Dutchman still has [two](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/anwar-el-ghazi/profil/spieler/183720) years left on his contract, so if he doesn’t feature much in the first half of the season, Villa can always re-evaluate, but for now, it appears to be the right call.

[***In other news: ‘Keeps getting better’ – Many AVFC fans go wild as ‘great’ transfer news is confirmed.***](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-transfer-rumours/aston-villa-fans-buzz-at-axel-tuanzebe-confirmation/)