Aston Villa rejects offer for the 24-year-old defender

Aston Villa are no strangers to shopping in the Spanish transfer market and, after completing a deal for right-back Andrés García, sporting director Monchi is keen to move on to strengthening his defence. To do this he could come fishing at his old club.

Sevilla have sold many of their best players in recent years, but their most notable prospect is Loic Bade. The French central defender was tipped for greatness as a teenager, but two discreet spells at Nottingham Forest and then Nice saw Sevilla sign Bade for a fee of just €12m. Now, the 24-year-old could earn double that, just 18 months later.

According to Relevo, Villa does not have an agreement with Sevilla or Bade, but talks are ongoing. Bade’s relationship with Monchi is described as fluid, and as the man who brought him to Andalusia in the first place, it makes sense when it is pointed out that his contract is not expected to be an issue. Bade is keen to get a second chance in the Premier League and knows it will mean a significant pay rise for him.

Similarly, while the Nervionenses rejected a first offer from Villa, there is little indication that the deal has been completed. Their offer fell short of the €25 million asking price that Bade had set, and sporting director Víctor Orta appears willing to put up with that fee, whether with variables or not, although Sevilla wants the highest fixed fee possible, given their financial difficulties. .

Bade was a target for both Villa and Roma this summer, but Bade ended up rejecting an offer from the latter, happy to be at Sevilla. Following that interest, Bade renewed his contract until 2029, although the 24-year-old presumably has an exit strategy ready. For a player of Bade’s skill, €25 million is certainly a reasonable fee, especially considering Bade’s release clause is more than double that amount.