Aston Villa sold Jhon Duran to the Saudi Arabian professional league in January for €77 million and now the English giants could be about to send two more stars to the cash-strapped league again.
John Duran was sold for about twice his estimated value, and when the bosses of Aston Villa have both experienced firsthand what Saudi Arabia is willing to pay, they will do it again.
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Saudi Arabia is willing to spend more than a billion euros to sign Vinícius Júnior from Real Madrid, there are also plans to secure Villa duo Emiliano Martínez and Leon Bailey, according to a report by The Telegraph.
It is unclear which club in the Pro League is actively chasing the pair, but Aston Villa are aware that there could be significant sums of money in the two transfers.
Unai Emery’s team, which is fighting to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), has already sold both Moussa Diaby and Duran to Saudi Arabia – two of the three most expensive sales in Aston Villa’s history.
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Martínez and Bailey are Saudi candidates?
Martínez’s form has been criticized by some fans in recent weeks, despite the fact that the World Cup goalkeeper has been a mainstay of the team since joining from Arsenal in 2020. He signed a new contract last summer that lasts until 2029, but the 32-year-old could disappear for the right price this time.
Bailey’s situation is also interesting, as he has had his playing time reduced in the second half of the season following the January signings of Donyell Malen, Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio. All three only came on loan, and their future is uncertain. Like Martínez, he has a long contract until 2027.
The duo have a combined estimated market value of €62 million, but it will probably take a significantly higher bid from Saudi Arabia to release them from Villa.
Duran has had a profitable time in the Pro League, scoring five goals in ten games for Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.
