Aston Villa are no strangers to shopping in the Spanish transfer market, and after tying up a deal for right-back Andres Garcia, Sporting Director Monchi is keen to move onto strengthening their defence. For that, he could come fishing at his former club.
Sevilla have sold many of their best players in recent years, but the standout prospect is Loic Bade. The French central defender was tipped for greatness as a teenager coming through, but two discreet spells at Nottingham Forest and then Nice saw Sevilla pick up Bade for a price of just €12m. Now the 24-year-old could go for double that just 18 months later.
According to Relevo, Villa neither 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 took him to Andalusia in the first place, it makes sense when it is noted that his contract is not expected to be a problem. Bade is keen for a second crack at the Premier League, and knows it will mean a significant wage hike for him.
Similarly, while Villa have had a first offer rejected by Los Nervionenses, there is little suggestion that the deal is off. Their offer did not hit the €25m asking price that Bade has set, and Sporting Director Victor Orta looks set to hold out for that fee, whether it be with variables or not, although Sevilla want the largest fixed fee possible, given their struggling finances.
Bade was a target for both Villa and Roma in the summer, but Bade ended up rejecting an offer from the latter, happy where he was at Sevilla. Following that interest, Bade renewed his deal until 2029, although presumably the 24-year-old has an exit strategy ready. For a player of Bade’s prowess, €25m is certainly a reasonable fee., especially considering Bade’s release clause is more than double that amount.
