Pervis Estupiñán transfer delayed as Amorim reassesses Milan future

Pervis Estupiñán's proposed move from AC Milan to Aston Villa has stalled after head coach Ruben Amorim asked for more time to assess the Ecuador international before sanctioning a transfer.

Villa have identified the left-back as their preferred replacement for Lucas Digne following the French defender's move to Paris Saint-Germain, and personal terms with Estupiñán are already understood to be in place. However, Milan are yet to reach a full agreement with the Premier League club, while Amorim's latest request has introduced fresh uncertainty into the negotiations.

According to reports in Italy, Amorim is not yet ready to approve the defender's departure and wants to evaluate him during Milan's pre-season tour of Australia.

Estupiñán returned to Milanello on 24 July after his post-World Cup break and will not feature in Saturday's friendly against Celtic. Instead, he is expected to travel with the squad for the Australian tour, which includes a meeting with Inter in Perth on 5 August.

The Portuguese coach reportedly believes the 27-year-old can rediscover the form he showed during his spell at Brighton & Hove Albion.

In Amorim's view, a different tactical system could allow Estupiñán to return to the performances that persuaded Milan to invest around €19 million to sign him a year ago.

While negotiations between the clubs continue, Estupiñán is said to have already agreed personal terms with Aston Villa.

A return to the Premier League is understood to appeal to the Ecuador international, who left Brighton for Milan last summer. Villa remain keen to complete the deal, but the transfer now depends on Milan's final decision following Amorim's assessment.

The two clubs have yet to settle on a transfer fee.

Milan are aiming to recover around €20 million for the defender, while Aston Villa believe his difficult first season in Serie A justifies a lower valuation.

Reports suggest a compromise could eventually be reached in the region of €15-16 million, although the financial aspect is no longer viewed as the biggest obstacle.

Instead, the key factor is Amorim's desire to assess the player in training before deciding whether Milan should proceed with the sale.

Should Estupiñán impress during the Australian tour, Milan's transfer strategy on the left flank could be altered significantly.

Rather than allowing him to leave, Amorim could decide to reintegrate the Ecuadorian into his long-term plans, giving the defender another opportunity to establish himself as the club's first-choice left-back.

For Aston Villa, that means waiting a little longer before discovering whether one of their primary summer transfer targets will become available.

Estupiñán is expected to travel to Australia with the Milan squad, where Amorim will make his final assessment over the coming weeks. Only after those evaluations are complete is a decision likely to be made on the defender's future, with Aston Villa remaining interested if Milan decide to proceed with a sale.