Didier Deschamps happy with Boubacar Kamara move but proffers theory behind Villa capture

France manager Didier Deschamps feels Boubacar Kamara has made the right choice in moving to England but is unsure why he opted to sign for Aston Villa.

Kamara, 22, came up through the Marseille ranks and made 170 appearances for the senior side. However, it became apparent during the season that he would not be signing a new deal with the Ligue 1 side. That meant he would become a free agent in the summer, with many clubs thought to be interested.

Manchester United, Leeds and Newcastle have all been linked in recent weeks. However, Villa offered him a sizeable deal and he has signed a five-year deal at Villa Park from July 1 onwards.

He has, to date, played for every France age-group side from Under-17 upwards. And Deschamps has now handed him a first senior call up to the Les Bleus squad.

Speaking to the press ahead of Nations League games against Denmark, Croatia and Austria, the former Chelsea midfielder was asked about Kamara.

While approving of his Premier League switch, Deschamps seemed to suggest Villa is a stepping stone to a bigger club.

“It’s his choice, he had the freedom since he was out of contract. For me there are no bad choices,” report RMC. “He had a very good season, he was used a lot, and was very consistent in a role which is not always easy.

“He’s chosen the Premier League. Sure, Aston Villa are not among the best teams, but it’s a step for him. I don’t know all of the factors that led him to making that decision.”

Aston Villa struggled with consistency throughout 2021-2022. The arrival of Steven Gerrard as manager saw the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Digne arrive in January.

But results were still very much up and down as the West Midlanders ended up in 14th spot in the table. They finished