The 29-year-old signed for Villa from Marseille in 2021 but made little impact, making just 23 appearances in all competitions and scoring one goal.
He has since spent time on loan at Strasbourg and is currently on loan at Nice, where he is earning praise for his performances, with the team second in Ligue 1.
Sanson recognises that his spell with Villa was badly hampered by injury and illness, but felt that Gerrard did not help him succeed in England.
Dean Smith was in charge when Sanson arrived at Villa Park and the Frenchman wishes it was current boss Emery that replaced the Englishman and not Gerrard.
‘It was complicated because I was injured nine to 10 months out of my first 12 months there,’ Sanson told RMC Sport. ‘I had a series of injuries and I had Covid twice. Nothing worked out for me.
‘I made the decision to leave when Unai Emery arrived, even though he would have liked to keep me. I told him that me and Aston Villa were over.
‘Something there was wrong. I was sure of myself and my qualities but certain things went very badly with a coach at Aston Villa, it was a bit unfair. The problem is that it was Steven Gerrard who arrived instead of Unai Emery.’
Regarding his move to Aston Villa in the first place, clearly there is some regret, but seeing the Villains now fourth in the Premier League table, he feels that it made sense.
‘To talk about the choice of Aston Villa, I tell myself that I was not mistaken when I saw where the club is today,’ he said.
Sanson moved to Villa for £14m three years ago but his deal with Nice can be made permanent at the end of the season for just over £3m.
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