Aston Villa surprisingly signed Borja Baston on deadline day.
According to Wales Online, Swansea City are saving a huge £1.2million in wages by sending striker Borja Baston to Aston Villa.
It’s claimed that Villa have picked up Baston’s contract, meaning he will still become a free agent at the end of the season as things stand.
Swansea waived a transfer fee for Baston, merely allowing him to move on for free on the basis that Villa took over his wages until the end of his deal.
That means Swansea are saving £1.2million in wages, with the decision to offload their former £15.5million signing from Atletico Madrid described as a ‘no-brainer’.
So, what is Baston earning? From deadline day on January 31st up until the end of his contract on June 30th, that’s just shy of around 22 weeks.
£1.2million over that time comes out to just about £55,000-a-week, immediately making the Spaniard one of the highest earners at Villa Park.
That is somewhat balanced out by getting him for free, and Villa aren’t exactly on the hook long-term, as they can just release Baston at the end of the season if they’re not impressed.
Baston, 27, only ever managed six goals in 39 games for Swansea, as well as six goals in a combined 42 games on loan back in Spain at Malaga and Alaves; numbers which don’t exactly smack of a Premier League goalscorer.
Still, Baston has what could be one last chance to show he can thrive in English football, and Villa will be hoping that he can surprise a few critics with some goals in their battle against the drop.
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