Boubacar Kamara has agreed to stay at Aston Villa, signing a long-term deal that lasts until 2030.
“I am happy for this contract. I can’t wait to be back at Villa Park. It was very easy. I like to be here. My family enjoy it in Birmingham, and I like the team and the manager – the decision was easy.”
His original contract was still only set to expire in 2027, but as he has put pen to paper, his signature shall put a smile on the faces of the supporters, who have had little news to take note of this summer.
Tyrone Mings also extended his deal at the start of June until 2027, but only £5 million has left the club's coffers in this transfer window. That is a far cry from the summer when the 25-year-old arrived.
The Frenchman had excelled at Marseille, his boyhood club, before choosing to come to the Midlands on a free transfer in 2022. He has played 97 times in claret and blue, becoming a favourite of the fanbase with his strong screening skills, solid defensive presence, and neat passing range.
It is a profile that has placed him at the heart of the tactical blueprint for Unai Emery despite his misfortune with injuries. A knee strain ruled him out of the 2022 World Cup, and he was out of action for eight months in 2024 with an ACL injury. However, he has loved his time in England.
“It’s gone fast. Some very good moments, some bad moments, but during these three years the team has grown up, every year we improve, and I hope this season will be the same.”
The story is not fully written for him at Villa. Now more than ever, the midfielder has set the target of building on the progress that has taken place for this outfit under their manager in the last two years.
“Play well, be competitive in every competition. Enjoy with the fans and finish better than last year.”
Eintracht Frankfurt are the first of three tests for the team as they take on a preseason tour in the USA. Kamara is making the most of the warm weather and the time to bond before the campaign.
“We’re enjoying it, we need this, we train well, and we can’t wait to come back to Villa Park.”
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A victory for Villa amid financial frustrations
At the start of April, the Villans were flying high on three fronts, but their season ended in the most painful of fashions. A valiant 3-2 victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-final of their Champions League clash could not keep the club in the competition, and Crystal Palace put them to the sword in the semi-final of the FA Cup, so the wait goes on for fans who hoped to see silverware.
Most bitter of all was their finish in the Premier League. A controversial call ruled out a goal for Morgan Rogers at Old Trafford as Man United, fresh from their Europa League final defeat, dashed the team's hopes of a return to the Champions League. Newcastle United lost to Everton on the final matchday but clung onto the fifth and final place that guaranteed entry to the European elite.
The constraints of PSR have put the board in a bind over the last twelve months, compelling the club to sell their women's team to comply with the regulations. But the bank balance might not be enough to entice their best players to stay if the possibility of greater glory elsewhere becomes too appealing.
At the very least, the club can be content to have secured one of its anchors for the foreseeable future.
