Veretout failed to impress at Villa, and was sold in 2017 to Fiorentina.
Italian outlet CalcioMercato claim Fiorentina midfielder Jordan Veretout has been linked with Italian giants Inter Milan and Napoli in a big-money move – just over a year after leaving Aston Villa.
Veretout, 25, joined Aston Villa in the summer of 2015 from Nantes but was part of the side that could not prevent Villa from suffering relegation at the end of the 2015-16 season.
The France Under-21 international left on loan to join St. Etienne following Villa’s relegation, where he impressed in the Europa League against Manchester United – having a hand in nine goals in 43 games from midfield.
Fiorentina were impressed and lured him permanently away from Villa, where he has since clocked up 51 appearances in all competitions. He scored eight times in Serie A last season, and has three in 13 this time around.
His excellent form has caught the eye of both Inter Milan and Napoli, with the report claiming Fiorentina want between £22.5million and £27million for his services – a world away from his Villa spell.
Indeed, Veretout’s value plummeted as he seemed incapable of coping with the physicality of the Premier League, as well as lacking the drive and motivation to salvage any kind of future at Villa Park.
Veretout played 29 times for Villa but he hardly ever showed why he was deserving of the claret and blue shirt. The player certainly can do it, so it begs the question, why did he struggle at Villa?
But fans will be disappointed to see their former player shining in Italy instead of the Midlands, with a move to Europa League sides Inter or Napoli on the cards for a fee as high as £27million.
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