Aston Villa received an offer of £25m for Jordan Amavi in Janaury but will their response be different in the summer?
A nine-game unbeaten run threatened to ensure Aston Villa fans ended a largely tumultuous campaign with a degree of optimism. However, one hell of an ‘off day’ at home to Reading on Saturday raised suspicions that Steve Bruce’s side have swapped their football boots for flip flops with just a few games remaining until the summer break.
And, as a Joseph Mendes-inspired Reading took Villa apart in a 3-1 home defeat, one player struggled above all others – Jordan Amavi.
The left-back made a crucial mistake which led to Mendes’ opener after six minutes and, in truth, set the tone for an error-riddled performance. Failing to track his runners and being frequently caught out of position, the Frenchman’s defensive shortcomings were laid bare by a side who had been beaten 7-1 just a week earlier.
Amavi may be more renowned for his rapid pace and threat on the overlap, with Bruce even deploying him as a left-wing back on occasions recently. Yet, with the dependable Neil Taylor out injured, the onus was on Amavi to prove that he can be counted upon at the other end. It’s fair to say he failed spectacularly.
It has been quite a fall from grace for the one-time fans favourite. Owner Tony Xia was lauded by supporters after he demonstrated commendable ambition by turning down a massive £25 million offer from the Chinese Super League for Amavi in January, as reported by The Guardian.
The club may snap their hands off for a similar offer this time around. However, Amavi’s recent form means Villa would be fortunate to receive an offer even half that size in the summer.
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