Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Sanson joined the club in January and the playmaker has been impressive for the Premier League club so far.

Sanson has now revealed that Leeds United tried to sign him last summer but he decided it was not the right time to make the move.

The 26-year-old was always keen on moving to the Premier League but wanted to wait for the right time and the right opportunity.

He said (via Yorkshire Evening Post): “Since I was little I have always had a special affection for this championship (the Premier League).

“Aston Villa are a big club in England, but it could have been another club the summer before. There was Leeds who were very interested, but I felt that was not the time.“

The former Marseille midfielder has shown his qualities in Ligue 1 and he will hope to establish himself as a quality Premier League midfielder in the coming months.

The £16 million signing will probably need the remainder of the season to adapt to English football and the fans will expect him to showcase his qualities next year.

The technically gifted playmaker could add a new dimension to Villa’s midfield if he manages to cement a starting role.

His skill set should complement the likes of John McGinn and Douglas Luiz perfectly. Luiz is an excellent defensive midfielder and McGinn adds stamina and drive to the Villa midfield.

Smith needed to add some craft and technique to his midfield unit and Sanson could provide that.

Villa have had an impressive season so far and they are currently ninth in the Premier League table. If they manage to win their two games in hand, they could break into the top four.

Read: Villa keen on summer move for 20-goal forward.