The latest Aston Villa transfer news from Birmingham World reporter Charlie Haffenden as Jhon Duran passes a medical ahead of his move to Al-Nassr and Arsenal plot a second bid for Ollie Watkins.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00There have been some significant updates at Aston Villa in the past 24 hours on the transfer news front.
00:07The focus should really be on progressing to the last 16 of the Champions League following the 4-2 win over Celtic at Villa Park.
00:14However, much of the attention is unfortunately on the transfer news.
00:17A record sale for Villa is about to go through. John Duran to Al Massouh in the Saudi Pro League.
00:23It looks like Villa wanted to keep hold of Duran this month.
00:26A second elite strike at the football club. A very rare thing to have and with Villa in the Champions League hoping to progress far in the FA Cup
00:33and of course registering another top four finish in the Premier League, it was hoped he could stick around.
00:38But a 77 million euro fee, translating to 64 and a half million pounds, plus around 12 million pounds worth of add-ons
00:47meant that Villa couldn't really turn down the offer, especially as Duran expressed his desire to leave.
00:53Reports in Colombia suggest Duran will have a salary increase of 1,000%.
00:59His salary at Villa has not been disclosed, but it could be anywhere really between the region of 500,000 pounds a week and a million pounds a week.
01:07We know that his salary was increased when he signed his new Villa contract a few months ago.
01:12We're just not quite sure what to, but it did put him among the better earners at the football club.
01:17On the other news is Ollie Watkins. Arsenal submitted a bid to sign Watkins. It was quickly rejected by Aston Villa.
01:24It's understood that the bid was actually received on Monday, despite the reports coming out on Wednesday.
01:29Fabrizio Romano said it was 60 million pounds. However, sources close to the club suggest the fee was actually lower than that.
01:36Arsenal are expected to bid once again, but Villa are determined to keep hold of Watkins.
01:42Unai Emery has admitted, however, in a post-match press conference on Wednesday night, that any player could leave the football club if the price is right.
01:50Watkins, I think, very unlikely to leave. It would take a really huge bid from Arsenal or any other potential suitor.
01:56But anything is possible and we'll have to wait and see before the end of the transfer window.