The landmark £25m bargain signing Aston Villa could seal as Chelsea fumble perfect transfer opportunity

Aston Villa are on the hunt for a new goalkeeper as Emiliano Martinez is expected to leave for big money. A significant sale or two is required to conform to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and Martinez, who wasn’t quite his usual self last season, is a prime candidate to be sacrificed.

Espanyol’s Joan Garcia, the goalkeeper with the third-best save percentage in La Liga last term, was the first bargain option to be linked with a move to Villa Park but Barcelona are set to snap him up for merely £20 million instead. LOSC Lille’s Lucas Chevalier, the Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year, is understood to be on the shortlist too but could cost as much as £40 million.

Chelsea fumble opens path for mega Aston Villa transfer

An alternative who was linked with the Villans a couple of months ago could be the perfect answer – and he’d cost a fraction of what Villa could rake in for Martinez. Mike Maignan, recently in advanced talks to join Premier League rivals Chelsea before they pulled out of the deal, is one of the world’s greatest shot-stoppers and he’s available for a bargain price.

France’s number one goalkeeper ahead of Chevalier, Maignan is entering the final 12 months of his contract at AC Milan and the Serie A giants are asking for merely £25 million to let him leave. You’d think that Chelsea, desperate to sign an upgrade on Robert Sanchez, would pay that in a heartbeat but Enzo Maresca’s side had cold feet.

Now, it may be tricky to convince Maignan to choose the Europa League but there’s no harm in trying, especially as Milan aren’t in Europe next term. It was reported in April that Villa had contacted Milan to discover the conditions of a potential deal. They were likely given the same answer as Chelsea regarding the £25 million price tag.

It awaits to be seen what sort of wages Chelsea were willing to offer before they backed out but Maignan is reportedly currently earning around £58,000 per week at Milan, a figure within reach for Villa. Even if that were to double, the Villans would still be paying less than they are currently forking out for Philippe Coutinho’s salary – and the Brazilian hasn’t even played for the club in nearly two years.

Maignan, who turns 30 next month, is in his prime years as a goalkeeper. The 29-time France international has a wealth of experience at the highest level having made 32 career appearances in the Champions League, as well as 120 in Serie A and 149 in Ligue 1. Although it’d be highly ambitious to sign him, Villa should try their luck.

Maignan’s future uncertain

Despite being Milan’s captain, Maignan is unsure where his future lies, so there’s every chance he could indeed make a move to the Premier League. The 29-year-old, signed from LOSC Lille for £15 million in 2021, wants to enjoy the here and now and could take on a new challenge if his contract situation isn’t resolved.

"I feel good at Milan. I give everything for the shirt every time I wear it, and every single day,” Maignan recently told Sky Sports Italia, via Milan News.

"Right now, to be honest, I don’t want to talk about my contract. I want to talk about football and find the right balance. Milan, the team, and everyone deserve more. My personal situation is not the most important thing at the moment."