Marseille are demanding £28 million for reported Aston Villa and Leicester City target Florian Thauvin in the January transfer window, according to Pianeta Milan.
Such a fee seems a little rich.
If you have been following events at the Stade Velodrome closely, you will know that the 2018 World Cup winner is due to become a free agent in July. And, try as they might, Marseille have failed to tie Thauvin down to a new, long-term deal.
So either Aston Villa stump up a record-equalling £28 million fee in January, or they wait until the summer when that very same player will be available for absolutely nothing.
Tuttomercatoweb reports that Premier League pacesetters Leicester and Villa are both keen on the gifted winger, despite his infamous, ill-fated spell at Steve McClaren’s Newcastle United.
After over a year on the sidelines with injury, Thauvin is finally rediscovering the form that made him one of Europe’s most prolific forwards back in 2018.
In nine Ligue 1 matches, the left-footed wizard has produced three goals and five assists from his right-wing role.
If Villa and Leicester are serious about bringing the 27-year-old back to England, however, they will have to fight off competition from a seven-time European champion.
And, by waiting until the summer, they risk missing out altogether.
According to reports, Milan legend-turned-technical director Paolo Maldini is very much interested and could offer Samu Castillejo to Marseille in a player-plus-cash deal.
A left-footed right winger just like Thauvin, Castillejo would be the very definition of a ‘readymade replacement’.
“(In January), he will be free to agree terms with another club and that’s why we all have to work together – club, player, entourage – to find the best solution,” Marseille director Pablo Longoria said recently.
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