Aston Villa Confirm Matty Cash Signing From Nottingham Forest

Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of full-back Matty Cash from Nottingham Forest, making the 23-year-old the first new addition to the first-team squad this summer.

The deal is believed to be worth around £14m and will represent Cash’s first foray into Premier League football after spending his career to date with Forest in the Championship.

Cash broke into the Forest first-team in 2016 and went on to become a regular starter by 2018. Last season, he was named their Player of the Year in a side that narrowly missed out on the playoffs.

“My agent rang me and said that Villa were interested, and immediately it was the place I wanted to come to. I said, ‘don’t even worry about anywhere else, I want to come here and play’,” Cash told his new club’s official website.

“It’s such a big football club, from the fanbase to the stadium. Every time I played at Villa Park before it just sold itself to me. It’s a very proud moment for me and my family, and I can’t wait to get started. Playing for such a big club is going to be brilliant.”

Villa boss Dean Smith said, “We are delighted to welcome Matty to Villa and believe we have secured one of England’s brightest young prospects.

“He has an excellent playing record for a young player and we believe he will settle in easily and continue his rapid development into a top full-back.”

The right-back position was shared in 2019/20 between veteran Egyptian international Ahmed Elmohamady and Frenchman Frederic Guilbert in his first season in English football.

The prospect of Cash, an attacking full-back who was formerly a winger, linking with up Trezeguet on the right flank is a potentially mouthwatering one for Villa fans.

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