Abde to Aston Villa transfer latest: Barcelona step aside

Aston Villa have a clear route to signing Ez Abde this summer after Barcelona decided against competing for the 24-year-old Betis winger, with the Catalan club unwilling to enter a bidding war against Premier League rivals at the asking price Real Betis have set, according to Sport.

The Spanish newspaper report that it is highly unlikely Barcelona and Abde will cross paths again this summer, given the level of interest from Aston Villa and Newcastle United. Rather than compete, Barcelona have opted to step aside and allow their 20% ownership stake in the player to work in their favour through a sell-on clause, meaning they profit from whichever club ultimately signs him without having to spend anything themselves.

Betis value Abde at around €40 million. That figure is the central question in this transfer, and whether Aston Villa are prepared to meet it will determine whether the deal gets done.

Why Barcelona walked away from the Ez Abde transfer

Barcelona’s position is straightforward. The club had considered a move for Abde and ran the numbers. At the €30 million price point they were working with, their 20% stake would have cost them around €24 million net. With Betis now valuing the player at €40 million and Premier League clubs prepared to meet that figure, Barcelona have calculated that it makes more financial sense to take their cut of a higher sale than to compete and spend significantly more themselves.

The Catalans have also not ruled out selling their 20% stake back to Betis entirely, something they have done before with other players, as a means of generating quick capital. Either way, Barcelona have made their decision: they are watching this transfer from the outside and waiting to see what they can extract from it financially rather than pursuing Abde as a signing.

Aston Villa and Newcastle United’s Ez Abde interest

A previous report from Diario de Sevilla indicated that both Aston Villa and Newcastle United have been tracking Abde, with Betis open to selling to the highest bidder in order to secure a significant profit on the player. The emergence of two serious Premier League clubs is precisely what removed Barcelona from the equation, as the likely fee climbed beyond the level at which a deal made sense for them.

For Aston Villa, the question is whether their finances can stretch to a €40 million commitment this summer. Despite competing in the Champions League, the club have been cautious with their spending in recent windows and a fee at that level would represent one of their more significant outlays. The competition from Newcastle adds further pressure, with both clubs aware that hesitation could hand the advantage to the other.

Betis, for their part, are not in a rush and have no obligation to accept anything below their valuation. With Barcelona out of the picture and two Premier League clubs genuinely interested, they are in a strong negotiating position and are likely to let the competition between Villa and Newcastle drive the process forward on their terms.