Aston Villa give emphatic response to seven-figure bid for 25-year-old – Sky
By Danny Wright
Aston Villa have emphatically rejected a bid worth £1.5million from Reading for winger Leandro Bacuna, according to a report.
Sky Sports claimed on their live transfer blog on Saturday [06:54pm] that Reading’s failed seven-figure approach has seen them end their interest in the 25-year-old as they are not willing to pay more.
Bacuna still has three years left to run on a five-year deal he penned in 2015 and Villa clearly deem him being worth more than the £1.5million valuation from Reading.
He signed from Dutch top-flight outfit Groningen in 2013 and has since emerged as one of the West Midlands club’s more reliable players due to his ability to play on the right wing and at right-back.
It remains to be seen how much of a role he will have in Steve Bruce’s side in the upcoming Championship season, as the club have brought in Ahmed Elmohamady from Hull, who can play in a similar role to Bacuna.
The 13-times Curacao international featured 31 times across all competitions for Aston Villa last season, scoring one goal in the process which came in a 2-1 win over Burton.
He picked up a six-match suspension in February when he clashed with an official in the 1-0 win against Derby, but once his spell on the sidelines ended he was straight back into Bruce’s plans.
Football Insider Verdict
The fact that Aston Villa have turned down what seems to be a fair offer for Bacuna shows that Bruce must still have plans for him. Elmohamady and Hutton can both play in the right-back role as well as James Bree, while Andre Green and Albert Adomah can both play on the right wing. It’s not as if Villa aren’t well-stocked in Bacuna’s main positions because they are. Bruce may see his versatility as something that could come in useful. Although Villa’s form picked up while the former Groningen man was suspended last term, he can be utilised on the left-flank and even in the centre of the park. That utility-man status could see him be an invaluable member of the squad.
In other Aston Villa news, this first-team star has been rushed to hospital after injuring himself in the 0-0 draw with Watford on Saturday.
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