Idrissa Gueye openly acknowledged viewing Aston Villa as a stepping stone shortly after joining the club in 2015. The defensive midfielder arrived at Villa Park as part of a summer recruitment drive aimed at rejuvenating the squad following the departures of key players Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph.
Coming from Lille, Gueye was one of four signings from Ligue 1 during that period, as the club sought to blend promising young talent from abroad with experienced Premier League professionals such as Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards. Despite these efforts, the season proved challenging; Villa finished bottom of the Premier League, undergoing multiple managerial changes and securing only 17 points.
Gueye featured in 35 league matches during Villa’s relegation campaign but did not appear for the club in the subsequent Championship season. Nevertheless, his performances attracted interest, and in 2016 he secured a £7.1 million move to Everton, who were striving for European qualification at the time.
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Reflecting on his decision to join Aston Villa, Gueye told L’Equipe in July 2015, “I wanted a change of scenery. The most important thing was to come to England to improve and aim for a big club later. It’s a league which suits me down to the ground. The box-to-box style is very much mine. I think I’ll enjoy it.”
Gueye revealed that he turned down a move to Marseille and resisted other offers, stating, “My choice was always oriented towards England. I never hid that when I spoke to them.” The arrival of then-manager Tim Sherwood was instrumental in persuading him to join, although Sherwood was replaced by Remi Garde in November 2015, who was subsequently succeeded by interim boss Eric Black.
After three seasons at Everton, Gueye’s displays earned him a high-profile transfer to Paris Saint-Germain for £30 million. During his time with PSG, he won two Ligue 1 titles and was part of the squad for the 2020 UEFA Champions League final, remaining an unused substitute in the clash.
Villa and PSG are set to face off again in the UEFA Super Cup this Wednesday, following Villa’s Europa League triumph. The match could see new PSG signing Lucas Digne compete against Unai Emery’s Villa side.
Gueye departed PSG in 2022 to return to Everton, where he remained until the end of last season. Recently, the 36-year-old signed with Saudi Pro League newcomers Diriyah, continuing his professional journey abroad.