Aston Villa have made Marseille an offer for Matteo Guendouzi as Unai Emery now targets his transfer. Any deal for the France midfielder may net Arsenal millions from a sell-on fee.
That is according to the Mirror, which reports Les Phoceens agreed to include a sell-on fee in their deal to sign Guendouzi from the Gunners last summer. The 23-year-old had spent the 2021/22 season on loan at the Ligue 1 side and impressed to earn a permanent move.
Marseille paid Arsenal just £9m for Guendouzi’s transfer after securing an option to buy in the terms of his loan. But it is now noted that the deal also featured a sell-on clause worth as much as 15%. The value of the clause depends on the league that OM would sell him to.
Arsenal get a sell-on fee from Marseille if Aston Villa seal a transfer for Guendouzi
Should Guendouzi leave Marseille and return to the Premier League, Arsenal would bank a higher fee from their sell-on clause. So, Emery sealing a reunion with the seven-cap France star – who he signed for the Gunners in 2018 – at Aston Villa could now net them millions.
Emery paid FC Lorient £8m to buy Guendouzi at just 19 years old and after a mere 30 first-team appearances. But the midfielder impressed under the Spaniard at Emirates Stadium. He also earned 66 of his 82 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners under Emery.
Guendouzi would fall firmly out of favour under Mikel Arteta, though, before loan moves to Hertha Berlin and Marseille. Yet the Poissy-born technician is now a France midfielder who went to the recent World Cup in Qatar. He is also a vital presence at the Stade Velodrome.
The former Paris Saint-Germain prospect has featured 23 times so far this season for three goals and four assists. Guendouzi is also a vice-captain at Marseille, where he recorded five goals and 14 assists in 56 games on loan. He penned his latest assist this Wednesday night.
Emery is keen to reunite with Guendouzi during the current January sales
Guendouzi’s efforts since leaving Arsenal – where Gary Neville once called him ‘fantastic’ – have seen Emery now make the Marseille midfielder a transfer target for Aston Villa. Foot Mercato reports he has even spoken to his former Gunners star over his return to England.
While RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins has claimed the Villans are ready to start with a €30m (£26.5m) bid. The Birmingham outfit would go as high as €40m (£35.5m) to secure his signature, as well. The Evening Standard even reports that Aston Villa have tabled an offer.
But 90min, whilst citing Aston Villa’s interest in a transfer, has claimed that Marseille value Guendouzi at €50m (£44m). A deal in that region can see Arsenal bank millions from their sell-on fee, with a 15% cut worth £6.5m. Even at €30m (£26.5m), they would receive £4m.
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