Exclusive: Aston Villa to listen to offers for senior man after £7m bid rejected

Transfer Correspondent AUTHORITY Former Sky Sports and ESPN FC correspondent who specialises in global recruitment, contract negotiations, and high-velocity transfer breaking news. FOCUS Exclusive reporting, domestic and international transfer markets, and elite-level insights. THE INSIGHT Pete utilises a Global Network of Industry Sources to deliver verified, first-to-market reporting. His “Deep-Lens” analysis connects the dots between boardroom strategy and pitch-level recruitment, providing a level of transfer clarity that goes beyond surface-level rumours.

Published on:

17 Oct 2019, 7:00 am

Aston Villa are set to listen to offers for Jonathan Kodjia in January rather than risk him leaving on a free next summer, Football Insider can reveal.

The striker, 29, was the recent subject of Middle East interest and Villa rejected a £7million offer from Al-Gharafa before the Qatar window shut at the end of last month.

A Villa source has told Football Insider that Dean Smith refused to let Kodjia go as he was unable to secure a replacement until the January window opens.

But Kodjia's future remains very much up in the air and Smith is ready to offload him in the forthcoming window if he can bring in a replacement.

The Villa source explained that the club have yet to approach the striker for talks about extending his contract even though it expires at the end of the season.

His value is expected to reduce to around the £6million mark in January, at which point he would be able to sign a pre-contract with an overseas club.

This comes after Football Insider revealed the interest in Kodjia from Al-Gharafa, who are managed by ex-Fulham and Watford boss Slavisa Jokanovic.

Kodjia has had just 16 minutes of action this season, partly due to injury and also Wesley Moraes assuming the first choice spearhead mantle.

The Ivory Coast international fractured his cheekbone in an accidental training-ground collision and has yet to figure since the 3-1 opening-day defeat to Tottenham.

The forward played a key role in Villa's promotion-winning campaign, scoring nine goals and providing four assists from 43 matches in all competitions.

He also has an impressive record for Villa since joining from Bristol City in 206, with his 98 appearances yielding 29 goals.

In other Aston Villa news, it can be REVEALED that the club have set their sights on winger at north-west club ahead of January.

Aston Villa