Welcome back, Tyrone! Numerous people are reporting that Aston Villa agreed a fee with Bournemouth for the services of defender Tyrone Mings.
The long-drawn-out transfer story might be approaching its end.
Several reporters from numerous papers are reporting that Villa have finally reached an agreement with Bournemouth for Tyrone Mings. After impressing during a January loan stint, wherein Mings aided Villa to promotion, club executives were keen to add Mings on a long-term deal.
The fee?
A whopping £20 million which could rise to £26.5 million with certain (unknown) criterion. Such a fee would fall below Villa’s record-breaking deal with Club Brugge for Wesley Moraes earlier this summer, but would be greater than the previous record of Darren Bent’s £18 million arrival years ago. With the escalators, Mings would be the club’s all-time record transfer.
Gregg Evans at BirminghamLive was the first to drop the news:
Hearing some very good news #avfc fans. Villa have agreed a £20m fee with Bournemouth for Tyrone Mings and he's set to sign in next 48 hours.
— Gregg Evans (@greggevans40) July 7, 2019
Others followed:
Told the Tyrone Mings fee could be as much as £26.5m. Deal could be wrapped up this evening #avfc #afcb
— Tom Barclay (@TomBarclay_) July 7, 2019
#avfc have agreed a fee of £20m with #Bournemouth for defender Tyrone Mings.
— Rob Dorsett (@RobDorsettSky) July 7, 2019
He’s expected in the Midlands in the next 24 hours to complete contract terms.
Because he spent last season on loan at Villa Park, it’s thought he won’t require a full medical.
Sky sources: Aston Villa agree fee of £20m to sign defender Tyrone Mings from Bournemouth.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 7, 2019
Deal done which sees Tyrone Mings go from @afcbournemouth to @AVFCOfficial for as much as £26m. Will travel to new club tonight. Villa fans love him - already holds cult status!
— Jim White (@JimWhite) July 7, 2019
Villa Verdict:
Listen, £20 million is A LOT, obviously.
The move is inherently risky given Mings’ injury record. A four-year+ deal in length has about an equal chance of imploding as it does being a beautiful piece of business. But this is a deal Villa had to make. Mings’ brilliance from January onward can’t be stated enough. He was otherworldly for the 20 or so games he played in the claret and blue. At 26.5, he should be in his prime as a central defender. The left-footedness and aerial ability are such huge assets to Dean Smith that a deal had to be made. With just Kortney Hause and James Chester as recognized centre-backs, Villa needed Mings in just about every way possible.
July is shaping up to be a hectic month transfer wise, but slowly, Villa continue to chip away at their desired first-team squad. A goalkeeper, one more centre-back, a holding midfielder, and another forward seem on the table.
FWIW, Mings and Villa need to agree on personal terms, but I don’t imagine that being a barrier.