Aston Villa are close to completing the £6.9million loan-to-buy signing of Le Havre defender Harold Moukoudi, according to reliable journalists.
Birmingham Mail correspondent Gregg Evans reported on his personal Twitter account this morning (Thursday) that the Frenchman has arrived in the UK and is expected at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training headquarters today to finalise an initial season-long loan.
Evans is expecting a “busy few days” of transfers at Villa as they aim to make the most of the Championship transfer window before it shuts tomorrow night.
Expecting a busy few days at #avfc Harold Moukoudi is in the UK and expected at Bodymoor Heath today as Villa look to wrap up a season-long loan deal. Will add cover at centre-back if it gets done.
— Gregg Evans (@greggevans40) August 30, 2018
Aston Villa vise Harold Moukoudi (Le Havre). Le club anglais a fait une offre pour un prêt d’1,1M€ avec OA de 7,7M€. Contrat de 4 ans pour le défenseur. Mais compliqué pour Aston Villa car le joueur veut rester en France. pic.twitter.com/YZXQLHF3Mr
— Dahbia Hattabi (@DahbiaHattabi) August 28, 2018
OPINION
Villa are working intensively to transform what had started as a disastrous summer into a pretty decent one. With the takeover ending the club’s financial woes at a stroke, the Midlands giants are working on making up lost ground on transfers. In terms of new arrivals, they will have to do that through the loan market rather than the main window but they can lay the groundwork for permanent deals in the future with loan-to-buy arrangements. As Dahbia Hattabi, the correspondent for reliable French site Foot Mercato, points out, the Moukoudi deal will include an obligation for it to become permanent at a cost of £6.9million. That is pretty big money for a centre-back aged 20 and who is out of contract in a year’s time at a second-tier French club. Clearly, Villa believe the France Under-20 international is something special, or has the potential to develop to that standard. It could be a superb acquisition if he settles in England.