Following a “failed” medical at Sevilla, there was fleeting hope Jordan Amavi would stay at Aston Villa this summer. Alas, it was all but confirmed he will leave the club. Steve Bruce left the French left back/winger out of the eighteen against Hull City.
There existed at least a small hope that Jordan Amavi would stay at Aston Villa. After all, only he and Neil Taylor represent the first team left backs for the the claret and blue.
That tiny hope was crushed on Saturday as Steve Bruce elected a heavily defensive bench; one that did not include Amavi among its seven members. Instead, James Bree and Birkir Bjarnason were favored for the fullback and outside midfield roles.
Steve Bruce was adamant that his decision was purely a footballing one, not because of transfer rumors in the media. However, it’s hard to believe that considering Amavi was already sold once this summer for £8 million.
Now, a whole host of teams are interested in acquiring the player’s services. Per The Birmingham Mail, Fiorentina (hey again), Galatasaray, Monaco, and Marseille remain in the running. Marseille, in particular, are pushing hard as they want a loan move with a £8 million permanent obligation next summer.
Reluctantly, Jordan Amavi is all but leaving Aston Villa. We already knew this going into the summer, but the debacle with Sevilla at least opened up the possibility of staying.
The magnitude of clubs interested in Amavi is particularly appealing. The French Champions want him, but somehow, to certain Villa supporters, he’s not good enough. £8 million aids Villa in falling in line with Financial Fair Play. A potential sale for that amount pushes player sales close to £20 million this summer alone. FFP is assessed on a three-year basis based on income earned. It’s safe to assume Aston Villa was not bringing in the revenues required to fund such acquisitions like: Scott Hogan, Jonathan Kodjia, and Ross McCormack all in the £10+ range. Moreover, it’s easy to forget the summer of 2015 was a heavy spending spree as well.
The additions? Elmohamady and Whelan cost under £3 million combined. Chris Samba and John Terry were free signings, while Sam Johnstone returned on-loan. Josh Onomah is a loan arrival as well.
Next: Player Grades vs. Hull City
Jordan Amavi will have an amazing career wherever he goes, granted he stays injury-free. His time at Aston Villa really is a microcosm of the club’s struggles that date back nearly a decade.