Tammy Abraham Set for Premier League Return as Aston Villa Seal £18m Deal After Besiktas Move
Tammy Abraham is on his way back to the Premier League after Aston Villa agreed an £18m deal following Besiktas’ £11.2m purchase from Roma. Here’s how the transfer unfolded.
Tammy Abraham’s European Journey Brings Him Back Home
Tammy Abraham’s football journey has come full circle. After years across Europe, the England international is set for a return to the Premier League, with Aston Villa agreeing an £18 million deal to bring the striker back to England.
The move follows an unusual chain of events involving Turkish giants Besiktas and Italian side AS Roma. Besiktas confirmed that they have paid Roma €13 million (£11.2m) to activate the obligation-to-buy clause in Abraham’s loan agreement. Almost immediately, however, the Super Lig club moved to sell the forward to Villa—despite initially being reluctant to part with him.
Abraham completed a medical on Saturday after travelling to the UK on Friday, signalling that his return to English football is now all but complete.
In a statement, Besiktas said:
“The conditions in the transfer contract of Kevin Oghenetega Tamaraebi Bakumo-Abraham have been fulfilled and the provision for the permanent transfer of the player has come into effect. In this context, a transfer fee of 13m euros will be paid to AS Roma.”
While Besiktas had hoped to keep the striker, Villa’s £18m offer proved too strong to resist, particularly given the financial upside of flipping the player shortly after completing his permanent signing.
A Strong Season in Turkey
Abraham’s value was reinforced by an impressive campaign in Turkey. During his time with Besiktas, the 28-year-old found the net 12 times in 24 appearances, quickly establishing himself as one of the league’s most effective forwards.
His form reminded many observers of the striker who once lit up the Premier League with Chelsea and later dominated Serie A during his early years in Rome. For Besiktas, he became a focal point of their attack—powerful, mobile, and decisive in front of goal.
Yet football economics often override sporting sentiment. Faced with the opportunity to generate a significant profit, Besiktas chose pragmatism over attachment.
A Career Built Across Europe
Abraham’s career has been anything but ordinary.
After emerging at Chelsea, he made his name during loan spells at Bristol City and Aston Villa, before finally getting his chance at Stamford Bridge. In 2021, Roma moved decisively, signing him for £34 million—a club-record deal at the time.
In Italy, Abraham flourished. Over three seasons, he scored 39 goals in 120 appearances for Roma and played a central role in their triumph in the Europa Conference League in 2022, the club’s first European trophy.
His reputation as a big-game striker continued during a loan spell at AC Milan in the 2024–25 season, where he scored 10 goals in 44 games, further underlining his reliability at the top level.
Now, after stints in Italy and Turkey, Abraham returns to England with experience, maturity, and a refined edge.
Why Aston Villa Makes Sense
For Aston Villa, this signing represents ambition.
The club has steadily built a competitive squad capable of challenging for European places, and Abraham fits the profile perfectly: proven in England, tested abroad, and still in his prime.
Villa fans will remember his sensational loan spell during the 2018–19 season, when he scored 26 league goals and helped propel the club back to the Premier League. This reunion carries emotional weight as well as tactical promise.
With 11 England caps to his name and years of top-flight experience, Abraham brings pedigree, physical presence, and a proven scoring instinct. In a league where goals define success, Villa’s investment signals their intent to keep climbing.
A Transfer with Layers
What makes this deal particularly intriguing is its structure. Besiktas were contractually obliged to buy Abraham from Roma—despite not originally planning to sell him. Yet the immediate resale to Villa transforms what might have been a financial burden into a strategic gain.
Roma, meanwhile, close a chapter on a striker who delivered silverware and consistency. Villa secure a forward entering his peak years. And Abraham gets the chance to reintroduce himself to English football, now armed with European experience.
It is a transfer that reflects modern football’s complexity—contracts, clauses, and commercial realities intersecting with sporting ambition.
For Tammy Abraham, though, the story is simpler: he is coming home, ready to write the next chapter where it all began.
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