Towards the end of the summer transfer window, Aston Villa tried to sign Harold Moukoudi from Le Havre in Ligue 2.
The young centre-back even travelled to Birmingham to visit the Championship club’s facilities, meeting Steve Bruce in the process, who tried to convince him that moving to Villa Park was the best thing for his career.
Ultimately, Moukoudi decided to stay in France, preferring to continue his development in an environment he knows.
However, doing so wasn’t an easy decision for him, as he explained to France Bleu Normandie.
He said: “It was really difficult. I thought about it all night. It was complicated. I struggled to sleep. That’s why, the next day, I didn’t feel like playing. I talked to the manager about it. Now, it’s in the past. The most important thing is that I’m here.”
It was reported the 20-year-old had turned down a financially ‘important’ offer from the Championship side, and he also revealed why doing so wasn’t an issue for him.
He continued: “In my family, we have certain values. Today, money isn’t really my priority. I want to build a career, a great career. We decided that moving abroad after just one year as a professional was a bit too soon. Despite the good offers, we decided to stay one more year in France, at least.”
That doesn’t mean he didn’t like what Steve Bruce and co. had to offer, stating the club’s facilities were ‘huge’ and ‘impressive’, and the fact he went there showed there was some interest from his part, which is why he wanted to hear what the manager had to say.
There’s always next year for Aston Villa, but by then, he might have more chances to move up to Ligue 1, which might be the more logical step forward for the youngster before his European escapades.
