Aston Villa are now set to land a huge financial windfall as a deal has been agreed to sell one of their talented most youngsters.
Aston Villa are looking to build on their exceptional 2023/24 campaign which saw them qualify for the Champions League and reach a Europa Conference League semi-final.
That starts with showing ambition in the transfer window and Unai Emery’s recruitment team are currently ticking that box, and some.
Whilst Tim Iroegbunham has departed for Everton and Douglas Luiz is nearing a move to Juventus, Villa are close to landing an influx of talent, including Juventus duo Enzo Barrenchea and Samuel Iling-Junior along with Chelsea’s Ian Maatsen and Toffees youngster Lewis Dobbin.
The business doesn’t appear to be stopping there, too, as Villa now look set to make £18 million profit on a youngster they signed for £600,000 in 2022 when Steven Gerrard was in charge.
Omari Kellyman is closing in on a move to Chelsea
Aston Villa captured Omari Kellyman from Derby County in the summer of 2022 for £600k.
Dubbed an “absolute dream” to manage by Josh Butler, the local recruitment manager at his former club Derby, Kellyman made three appearances for Villa last term, securing minutes in the Premier League and Europa Conference League.
The 18-year-old was regarded as one of the club’s current brightest talents and was expected to make a regular first-team breakthrough shortly, although it looks as though he’s been denied that chance at Villa Park as Chelsea swoop in for the teenager.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Kellyman has been given the green light to join Chelsea and negotiations are underway on personal terms ahead of a £19 million move.
That would land Villa a huge £18.4 million profit on a player they signed for £600k in 2022, demonstrating how impactful scouting the lower leagues can be.
Aston Villa must follow Omari Kellyman blueprint in future
To lose such a talented youngster to a Premier League rival is a bitter pill to swallow however, to land £19 million for someone who made just three senior appearances last term is great business by the club.
Kellyman, of course, could have gone on to become a world-beater at Villa Park but as they need to sell homegrown players ahead of the June 30th PSR deadline, it makes perfect sense to accept that offer.
Signing the youngster from the Rams just two years ago was an astute piece of business. At the time, Derby were in a positional of financial peril and were forced into offloading some of their most talented youngsters.
Villa were the beneficiaries on that occasion, and it’s a transfer blueprint Monchi must follow in the future to become even more sustainable.
Indeed, acquiring homegrown talents for nominal fees and then selling them on for millions or using them in the first team is a strategy everyone can get behind.
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