Jordan Ayew told Sky tow days ago that he was in Birmingham and "delighted" to be joining Aston Villa. Apparently he may have spoken a bit prematurely, as Lorient have not granted him permission to move quite yet, and the Ghanaian striker is ANGRY about it. In an interview in L'Equipe, Ayew said that Lorient had told him he would be free to move if they received €12 million for him. Aston Villa have reportedly offered that, and now the Ligue 1 side are looking for £10 million plus £2 million in bonuses. That's approximately €17 million.
In response, Ayew said "I am in Birmingham, I am on my way to Aston Villa. Nothing will change my decision." So, we've got ourselves a good ol' stalemate here. The issue at hand is put rather well by Ayew himself:
"They were telling me about how much Amavi was bought for by Aston Villa, but I am not Amavi. We are two different players who have two different situations. They are basically saying that English clubs can only pay more because they have money."
And he's right. He's not Jordan Amavi, nor is he a player who should cost Villa more than Amavi. But to respond, Lorient have made a pretty compelling counterpoint (Google translation from L'Equipe):
"Jordan is under contract (until 2018 ). It must therefore be present tonight (for the friendly match against Caen). We are in the midst of negotiations with Aston Villa, and he leaves, it is necessary that both clubs agree."
I mean, that's not rubbish. He does have a contract and is thus obligated to play. The whole issue hinges on whether or not Lorient told him he could leave for the price that Aston Villa have offered.
In a situation like this, it wouldn't surprise me to see the two clubs meet somewhere in the middle. Ayew has his heart set on playing at Aston Villa, and while he probably shouldn't cost Amavi money, there isn't a huge difference between paying £9 and £10 million for him. Do £10 million without the bonuses and this is probably a done deal.
But who knows? Aston Villa may draw the line in the sand and refuse to go higher. And if they do, I can't say that I blame them. They've been put in a bit of an awkward position as the outside presence in a family fight. Let's hope it gets resolved quickly.