Amorim delays Estupinán exit as Milan boss wants closer look before approving Villa move

Pervis Estupinán's proposed move from AC Milan to Aston Villa has yet to receive the green light. Rúben Amorim is understood to have asked for more time to assess the Ecuador international before deciding whether to sanction his departure. The Portuguese coach wants to evaluate the 28-year-old during the final stages of pre-season to determine whether he still has a role to play in his plans.

Only after that assessment will Milan decide whether to proceed with a deal that could earn the club between €15m and €18m, or keep Estupiñán at San Siro for the season ahead.

A difficult first season in Serie A
Estupinan endured a challenging debut campaign with the Rossoneri after arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion last summer as the player expected to replace Theo Hernández. The Ecuador international struggled to adapt to Serie A, particularly from a defensive perspective, and eventually lost his place in the starting XI to academy graduate Davide Bartesaghi.

Despite his difficulties, Estupinan still gave Milan supporters a memorable moment by scoring the winning goal in the derby on 8 March, a strike that secured his place in the fans' good books despite an otherwise disappointing season.