Milot Rashica wants to stay in Germany with the Werder Bremen winger increasingly unlikely to be an Aston Villa player by the time the transfer window slams shut next Monday afternoon, according to Kreis Zeitung.
Try as they might, Villa are no closer to signing a Kosovo speed-machine who, alongside Bertrand Traore and Ollie Watkins, would forge the kind of potent strikeforce Dean Smith was crying out for last season.
Werder Bremen’s sporting director Frank Baumann admitted to BuliNews recently that Aston Villa had expressed an interest in signing one of the Bundesliga’s most influential forwards.
The Birmingham Mail even claims that the Midland side have triggered the £20.5 million release clause in Rashica’s contract.
Although coming to an agreement over personal terms is proving to be easier said than done.
Rashica wants a £75,000-a-week contract that would see him become one of the club’s highest earners. Villa are less than enamored about handing such a sizeable wage to a man who is completely unproven in English football.
And, according to new claims from Germany, Rashica’s priority has always been to remain in the Bundesliga anyway.
RB Leipzig won’t be coming to his rescue after landing Hwang Hee-Chan and Alexander Sorloth, although a move to Bayer Leverkusen cannot be ruled out – especially if Leon Bailey follows Kai Havertz out the door.
Rashica produced 11 goals and eight assists last season, ensuring that Werder Bremen hung onto their top-flight status by the skin of their teeth.
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