Aston Villa have completed the signing of Modou Kéba Cissé from LASK, with the 20-year-old centre-back arriving at Bodymoor Heath in July 2026 for a fee reported at around £4m to £4.75m, depending on the source. Villa confirmed the pre-contract agreement back on 19 July 2025, and Cissé spent the intervening season on loan at LASK, where he helped the Austrian club win a league and cup double.
The move caps a remarkable rise for a player who only made his professional debut on 23 February 2025, coming off the bench as LASK beat Rapid Vienna 2-1. Barely 16 months later, he is a Premier League squad member, wearing the number 48 shirt for Unai Emery’s side.
How the deal came together
The transfer has an unusual origin. Agent firm G Talent made initial contact with Two Touch, the agency that represents Ollie Watkins and Matty Cash, and the conversation eventually reached Villa’s then-sporting director Monchi. Villa moved quickly enough to leapfrog City Group, who had reportedly planned to place Cissé at Troyes. According to The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, Cissé had already agreed salary terms with Troyes before those talks stalled, at which point Villa stepped in and secured the pre-contract.
Villa’s due diligence was thorough. Emerging talent development manager Tony Carss and head of emerging talent Adam Henshall travelled to Austria to watch Cissé in person. In December 2025, during the Austrian winter break, Cissé spent a week training with Villa’s first team at Bodymoor Heath, giving Emery a close look before the permanent move was completed the following summer.
Player profile: from midfielder to 6ft 3in center-back
Cissé was born in Senegal on 4 August 2005 and came through Be Sport Academy in Dakar before a brief spell in Real Ávila’s youth setup in Spain starting February 2024. He joined LASK in July 2024 and was originally used as a midfielder, but the club converted him to centre-back, a decision that LASK Under-18s coach Luka Pavlovic endorsed. ‘He went on trial, and I said: He is the next Pogba, he was a midfielder then,’ Pavlovic told The Athletic. ‘But the club put him at centre-back, which was a great decision. He was great in training, hard-working and a nice, quiet guy.’
At 6ft 3in (1.91m), Cissé brings obvious physical presence, but the number that stands out most from his loan season is his points-per-match average. Per The Athletic, his figure of 2.08 was the best of any player in the Austrian first division in 2025-26. He made 26 league appearances, scoring twice, and added four cup outings with one more goal, for 30 appearances and three goals in total across the season.
What it means for Aston Villa
The fee makes Cissé the second most expensive transfer in LASK’s history, which gives some indication of the premium Villa were willing to pay for a player with fewer than 18 months of senior football behind him. For Villa, the investment fits a clear philosophy of recruiting young defenders with high athletic ceilings and developing them within Emery’s system.
Cissé arrives with real competitive experience rather than just raw potential. He was part of a team that won every domestic trophy available to it in Austria last season, and he started regularly throughout that run. How quickly he can adapt to Premier League intensity and push for minutes beyond the fringes of the first-team squad remains to be seen.
FAQ
How much did Aston Villa pay for Modou Kéba Cissé?
The fee has been reported as approximately £4m by Birmingham Live and around £4.75m by Football365, with The Athletic citing a figure close to €5m. Villa confirmed the pre-contract on 19 July 2025.
What position does Modou Kéba Cissé play?
Cissé plays as a centre-back. He was originally a midfielder but was converted to the defensive role by LASK after joining the Austrian club in July 2024.
How old is Modou Kéba Cissé?
Cissé was born on 4 August 2005 in Senegal, making him 20 years old at the time of his move to Aston Villa.
Aston Villa