Former Man United manager’s veto leaves Aston Villa empty‑handed

AC Milan enter the season with a glaring gap at wing‑back, a position that has already drawn criticism after a botched transfer saga involving Brighton‑born Pervis Estupinan, whom incoming coach Ruben Amorim halted from joining Aston Villa despite both clubs agreeing the move.

Wing‑back uncertainty looms

AC Milan have a lot of work to do to get up to speed this season, and a major question mark hangs over their wing‑backs. The club’s defensive frailties were exposed in a 2‑2 draw with Lazio, where the side struggled to contain attacks down the flanks.

Vetoed move fuels criticism

Both Milan and Aston Villa had reached an agreement to sell Estupinan, but Amorim exercised his veto as the new head coach. The decision has proved unpopular among supporters and pundits, who see the aborted deal as a missed opportunity for Villa.

Alfredo Pedulla, writing for SportWitness, blamed the coach for the defensive lapse that led to the Lazio goal, describing Estupinan as “asleep” on the back‑line. He added that the choice to keep the former Brighton left‑back was “reckless”.

The Lazio match saw Diego Moreira come on and score two late goals to rescue a point, but the earlier concession highlighted Estupinan’s defensive shortcomings. Pedulla’s criticism links the poor defending directly to the aborted transfer.

So now Aston Villa appear to have dodged a bullet, as the club will not inherit Estupinan’s defensive vulnerabilities. Both he and Moreira offer attacking promise as wing‑backs, yet their defensive reliability remains in doubt.

Amorim faces a hard season of decisions, with the wing‑back position demanding immediate reinforcement. The veto has already sparked flak, and the coach must address the gap before it hampers Milan’s campaign.