Despite not really being an Aston Villa player any longer, Jordan Amavi is still in the headlines, mostly down to his failed transfer to Sevilla, with the player recently revealing the details behind that particular mess.
Odd knee tests and strange decisions about doctors were prime examples of the La Liga side’s incompetence, and the defender ended up going to Marseille on loan with a view to buy instead.
Returning to France wasn’t really part of his plans, but when his transfer to Spain fell through, options were limited, and the prospect of playing Europa League football instead of battling it out in the Championship under Steve Bruce was clearly too great to refuse.
Aston Villa won’t be getting all of their investment back, having bought the now 23-year-old for around €15m, but at least now they know where their money ended up going, as Claude Puel revealed to la Provence exactly what Nice spent it on.
He said: “The club made their first real plus value by selling him. His transfer allowed the club to balance their books, and even to build a new training centre, which will be opened next October. It’s a symbol of his breakthrough, of his reconversion.”
Originally a left-winger, Amavi was gradually turned into a left-back by the ex-Southampton manager, who saw he was struggling to make a difference in the final third.
Achieving this in just over a year, thanks to a lot of video sessions, the Aston Villa loanee is now seen as Patrice Evra’s replacement in the south of France, as the former Manchester United defender is showing the first signs that retirement might be closer than first thought.
Even if they have lost a good talent, the Villains can take solace in the fact their money was used well.
