Unfortunately for Fenerbahce, they are stuck with Mbwanna Samatta.
According to Fotospor, the Turkish giants have no choice but to pay the £5 million they owe Aston Villa at the end of this season for the Tanzania international.
Oh the perils of a mandatory purchase clause. If only it was an ‘option to buy’, rather than the dreaded ‘obligation’.
Because, during a disastrous stint in the Super Lig, Samatta is yet to prove that he is worth a minor fraction of that £5 million fee.
In 21 games, he has scored just four goals – three more than he managed during a forgettable spell at Aston Villa but insufficient nonetheless.
In Fotospor’s words, Samatta has been a ‘huge disappointment’. It is hard to argue against such an assessment.
The 28-year-old has started just two of the club’s last eight games in all competitions and, after Fener won 3-0 in his absence during Monday night’s clash with Konyaspor, don’t expect to see Samatta return to the XI any time soon.
Aston Villa might have been left feeling a little red-faced when they agreed to accept a reduced fee for a striker they paid £8.5 million for 14 months ago.
But, with Samatta failing to resuscitate his ailing career in Turkey, that £5 million sale suddenly looks like brilliant business for Villa.
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