‘Bid would be accepted’ - Man Utd domino effect possible as club eyes shock £50m Aston Villa swoop
The latest transfer news as Youri Tielemans is linked with a shock transfer away from Aston Villa.
Youri Tielemans is reportedly the latest Aston Villa player to be lined up for a potential move to the Saudi Pro League.
The Belgium international, likely to clinch Villa’s Player of the Season award for a stellar campaign, is on Al-Hilal’s shortlist. The Saudi club are determined to land a marquee signing this summer and could turn to Tielemans if their expected swoop for Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes fails.
GiveMeSport reporter Ben Jacobs reports Al-Hilal are working hard to sign Fernandes but are likely to strike a brick wall as Man Utd are adamant they don’t want to sell. Fernandes hasn’t given Al-Hilal any encouragement that he’d take the plunge, either.
As a result, Al-Hilal are said to be seriously considering Tielemans as an alternative. The Villa midfielder typically plays a deeper role than Fernandes but Al-Hilal don’t mind, with the star status of the new signing more important than the exact position they’d be playing in.
A rather shocking detail of the report states Al-Hilal are convinced that a bid of around €60 million (£50.5m) would be enough for Villa to accept. Such a figure would logically be laughed off by the Villa hierarchy, but the Saudi club are confident their offer would be too good to turn down.
Tielemans, signed from Leicester City on a free transfer in July 2023, had started all 35 of Villa’s Premier League matches this term until he missed the 1-0 win at AFC Bournemouth through injury. The 28-year-old, with 52 starts across all competitions this campaign, has become arguably Unai Emery’s most reliable player.
As Villa aren’t out of the woods amid a potential breach of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), at least one significant sale is required this summer. Tielemans, who would earn pure profit due to the fact Villa paid zilch to Leicester to sign him, could theoretically be sacrificed.
It’s highly unlikely Tielemans would be on the chopping block, however, as Birmingham World understands he’s seen as an indispensable player by Emery and the club. He may have been replaceable by Amadou Onana away at the Vitality Stadium for one match, and Villa will be without him for the next fixture against Tottenham Hotspur, but losing Tielemans altogether would be a huge blow.
There are plenty of other players Villa can sell to aid their PSR concerns. Kosta Nedeljkovic could yet see his loan at RB Leipzig turn permanent for around £12 million, while Valencia are considering a bid to sign Villans loanee Enzo Barrenechea for the long term.
With those deals - or others similar - likely enough to escape the jaws of PSR punishment, the club are under no real pressure to let Tielemans go. Al-Hilal, as confident as they may be, will probably be left disappointed if they try their luck. Never say never if they table a truly irresistible offer, but the reported £50.5 million is highly unlikely to be sufficient.