‘Aston Villa set for financial windfall’ as Man City transfer to be announced imminently – Exclusive
Aston Villa have faced transfer interest in several of their key players so far this summer.
Unai Emery will be desperate to improve upon his side’s sixth-placed finish from last term, but speculation of several high-profile departures has largely overshadowed the early part of their window.
Morgan Rogers has consistently been linked with a move away from Villa Park, while the likes of Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez have also caught the eye of other clubs.
The Villans now appear set to land a cash windfall, with a sale to Manchester City seemingly now imminent.
Aston Villa to receive compensation as Freddie Lawrie set to join Man City
Aston Villa are set to lose Freddie Lawrie to Manchester City in a matter of days, as the young starlet is understood to have already passed his medical with the Citizens.
The 16-year-old move could now be announced imminently, with the midfielder set to ink a long-term deal at the Etihad Stadium.
The England U17 captain joined the Villans back in 2023 and had been earmarked as one of the brightest prospects within their entire academy. They will now be hugely disappointed to have lost him at this early stage of his development.
However, ex-Villa scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Villa News – believes that Emery’s side will be in line to receive a compensation package as part of Lawrie’s departure.
“There’s definitely going to be a compensation package here,” King said.
“You can’t just force in and take young players who have been associated with clubs for a long time.
“He (Lawrie) must feel that he’s going to get a chance at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola is looking at young talent at other clubs, and I don’t think City will end up losing money on Lawrie.
“There will be some sort of payment structure. Villa aren’t going to want to lose out on the last two years, because it’s obviously cost them money to bring him in from Port Vale.”
Losing Lawrie is a concern for Villa
Manchester City have clearly placed a focus on recruiting young talent this summer, and Lawrie is just one player who has caught their eye.
From Villa’s perspective, it is a frustrating reminder of the current hierarchy of English football, in that they can ultimately do little to prevent one of the country’s most successful clubs from swooping in and prizing a young talent away.
A compensation package could at least provide some return for the second city outfit, but the reality is that it will likely be a relatively insignificant fee in the context of the Premier League.
Lawrie may have been a long way from receiving first-team minutes, but his departure will sting nonetheless.
Sign up for the Villa News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Aston Villa news sent straight to your phone.