Aston Villa enquired about signing Lens left-back Matthieu Udol during the summer transfer window but were turned away by the French club, according to Sport Witness. The outlet, citing journalist Sebastien Denis, states that Lens refused to listen to any offers for the 30-year-old defender before the window closed on 1 September.
Sunderland and AC Milan are also reported to have made approaches for Udol, who contributed three goals and ten assists last season as Lens won the French cup and challenged Paris Saint-Germain for the Ligue 1 title. Denis claims the player was highly sought-after across Europe but did not push for a move himself, choosing instead to remain focused on his current club and their Champions League campaign.
Villa entered the market for a left-back after Lucas Digne departed for Paris Saint-Germain. With Ian Maatsen initially the only recognised option in the position, Unai Emery's side eventually secured Matteo Ruggeri from Atletico Madrid before the deadline passed.
Sunderland faced a similar situation with only Reinildo available at left-back. They ultimately signed Dayann Methalie from Toulouse, although Sport Witness notes the deal required the player to return to France for further medical tests on a back issue before it was sanctioned.
With the transfer window now shut until January 2027, any Premier League interest in Udol is settled for the time being. The defender has been pre-selected by Didier Deschamps ahead of the World Cup and is waiting to see whether he features under Zinedine Zidane's incoming management of the national team.
