Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Sanson has 'struggled' since arriving from Marseille

Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Sanson has ‘struggled’ since his arrival at the club from France, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The 27-year-old is yet to establish himself as a regular in the starting XI despite being at Villa Park for over a year now following his arrival in January 2021.

According to The Guardian, Sanson completed a £16 million switch from Marseille last winter, signing a contract until the summer of 2025.

Prior to his move to the Midlands outfit, the box-to-box dynamo had shone for OM, racking up 47 goal contributions in 157 outings as well as competing in the Champions League.

However, adapting to the physical and unique demands of the Premier League has so far proved a tricky task for Sanson.

The former France Under-21 international has made just 16 appearances for Villa to date, with only five of those coming as starts while on top-flights duties.

Sanson is also yet to record a single goal or assist for his new side, highlighting his struggles when attempting to acclimatise to his new surroundings.

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And with the likes of John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey currently keeping him out of the side, Sanson could be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines before Steven Gerrard provides him with another opportunity to impress.

Since new manager Gerrard took over the reigns from Dean Smith, the creative talent has only featured from the off on two occasions, failing to complete the 90 minutes both times.

Sanson has subsequently been left on the bench throughout Villa’s last three games, and O’Rourke believes ‘form and fitness’ have been an issue for the ‘top player’ in England.

He told GiveMeSport: “I think he’s just struggled since