Exclusive: Aston Villa give green light for two 28-year-olds to leave
Aston Villa duo Bertrand Traore and Calum Chambers are attracting interest in Europe and beyond ahead of a potential move this month, sources have told Football Insider.
It is believed Traore and Chambers, both 28, have both been given the green light to move in January – with their potential sales set to allow Villa to bring in signings of their own to aid a push for a top-four finish.
Manager Unai Emery has already taken the unusual step of confirming to the media that both players are up for sale.
A well-placed source has told Football Insider that both players are being monitored in Europe and elsewhere as the 1 February transfer deadline draws closer, with clubs registering their interest in January deals.
It is believed potential exits for the duo will make room in the squad and free up wages for incomings.
Chambers is yet to appear in the Premier League so far in the 2023-24 campaign and has turned out just three times in total, with all of those appearances coming in the Europa Conference League.
He is under contract at Villa Park until June 2025 after joining the club from Arsenal on a free transfer in 2022.
The three-cap England international has made 31 appearances in total for the Midlands giants.
Meanwhile, Traore is out of contract at the end of this season and Villa are ready to accept any offer for the Burkina Faso international to get him off the wage bill.
The ex-Chelsea youngster has played six times across all competitions this term, notching one assist.
He joined from Lyon in 2020 and has hit 10 goals in 62 games at Villa Park.
A potential exit for the winger will be complicated by his presence at the Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast this month.
Aston Villa sit third in the Premier League and are just two points off first-place Liverpool.
In other news, Liverpool enter race to sign Aston Villa star.