Aston Villa left-back Moreno to join Nottingham Forest on loan

Aston Villa left-back Alex Moreno is set to undergo a medical at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday as he prepares to join the club on loan. The 31-year-old, who can also play as a left winger, has found himself lower in the pecking order at Villa Park, trailing behind Lucas Digne and summer signing Ian Maatsen. Villa manager Unai Emery confirmed Moreno was "close to leaving" following their recent victory over West Ham, citing difficulties in managing three left full-backs. Moreno joined Villa from Real Betis in January 2023 and made an immediate impact, notably forming a strong partnership with Jacob Ramsey. However, his season was marred by a hamstring injury sustained against Liverpool in May, which sidelined him until late November. He made a comeback in a Europa Conference League match against Legia Warsaw, where he scored the decisive goal. With two years remaining on his contract, Moreno will now look to revitalize his career at Nottingham Forest. At Forest, Moreno will compete for the left-back position with Ola Aina and Harry Toffolo. Aina's recent injury during a match against Bournemouth raises concerns about his availability for the upcoming clash against Southampton on August 24. Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo is hopeful that Moreno's loan deal will be finalized in time for him to be included in the squad. In other news, Forest defender Omar Richards has been loaned to Rio Ave in Portugal. The 26-year-old, who previously played for Bayern Munich, is seeking more playing time after a season spent on loan at Olympiacos, where he made 14 appearances.