Club Just €2m From Aston Villa’s Asking Price For Star | OneFootball

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Portuguese giants Benfica have submitted a bid worth €12m to Aston Villa for Enzo Barrenechea, but the Villa Park outfit want more for him.

The Argentine midfielder became a Villa player in the last summer window, joining them from Juventus.

He was loaned out to Valencia last summer and his performances at Mestalla have attracted a host of clubs in the transfer window.

Clubs from La Liga have shown loan interest in him, but his Premier League wages has made him a difficult player to be a realistic option.

However, Benfica and FC Porto in recent days have shown concrete interest in him, with the Estadio da Luz outfit leading the race for him.

According to Portuguese sports daily Record, Benfica have made a €12m offer for him for 70 per cent of his rights.

However, €2m separates Benfica and Aston Villa for Barrenechea, as Unai Emery’s side are ‘turning up their nose’ and they want €14m for the 24-year-old.

Even though they are yet to reach an agreement for Barrenchea, the Estadio da Luz outfit are optimistic that a deal can be sealed.

He has played in Switzerland, Italy and Spain, but now he could be heading out to Portugal ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Aston Villa have been quiet in their transfer business so far this summer and a potential sale of Barrenchea would help strengthen Emery’s kitty.

It remains to be seen if Benfica and Villa will reach an agreement for the Argentine in the coming days.

Other clubs could yet step up their interest and try to steal in ahead of the Portuguese giants, with the emphasis on them to agree a fee for Barrenechea.