{"id":317120,"date":"2025-08-04T12:28:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T12:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/317120\/"},"modified":"2025-08-04T12:28:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T12:28:12","slug":"fresh-aston-villa-transfer-claim-made-as-boss-confirms-interest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/317120\/","title":{"rendered":"Fresh Aston Villa transfer claim made as boss confirms interest"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive brings you what is being reported as Villa look to make further inroads on strengthening their squad<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_Leicester-City-FC-v-Southampton-FC-Premier-League.jpg\" alt=\"Mateus Fernandes\" loading=\"eager\"  \/>Southampton star Mateus Fernandes(Image: Southampton FC via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">Aston Villa and Leeds United are said to be monitoring Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">The Saints star faces an uncertain future after the club was relegated from the Premier League last season. The club is now preparing for life in the Championship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">Fernandes was one of Southampton&#8217;s impressive performers in a dismal campaign and that has sparked suggestions that he could be on his way out this summer. According to reports in A Bola, <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birminghammail.co.uk\/all-about\/aston-villa-fc\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Villa <\/a>and Leeds are both discussing Fernandes as a potential option.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">Fernandes is a product of Sporting Lisbon&#8217;s academy and they have a vested interested in what happens next with the club retaining a 10 per cent sell-on clause.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">He left for Southampton in 2024 for a fee of \u00a313m and was a regular for them in the Premier League last season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">He scored three goals and registered six assists last term as the Saints were relegated back to the second tier.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">It is claimed that Fernandes is open to moving back into the Premier League, but there is interest from Atletico Madrid.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">A Bola claimed earlier this year Southampton are said to be asking for much more than \u20ac35m for Fernandes which could put off any potential suitors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">The Saints also have interest from Everton in Tyler Dibling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">Speaking about Fernandes&#8217; future at the weekend, Saints boss Will Still said: &#8220;There\u2019s noise around him, but he\u2019s a good player. He\u2019s shown his quality over the past year, and there is interest &#8211; we can\u2019t lie about that.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">\u201cBut Matty hasn\u2019t been very well and wasn\u2019t in the building the last three days and wasn&#8217;t here today. It\u2019s as simple as that.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">Asked if it would be difficult to see Fernandes remain at Saints beyond August, Still added: \u201cI don\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">&#8220;The price has been set, and if that price comes in, there\u2019ll be negotiations, but for the moment, nothing has been met, and Matty is still here. I hope he gets better and is back in on Tuesday.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Where do Villa need to strengthen? <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birminghammail.co.uk\/sport\/football\/football-news\/aston-villa-transfers-fernandes-southampton-32195723#comments-wrapper\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Have your say HERE.<\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1754310492_873_1_villaspec.jpg\" alt=\"\"  \/>Get your Aston Villa pre-season special edition of the Birmingham Mail<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">It promises to be an exciting season ahead for Aston Villa as <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birminghammail.co.uk\/all-about\/unai-emery\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Unai Emery&#8217;s<\/a> side look to build on last season&#8217;s efforts and will look to finish even higher this time around.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">Despite not achieving the same feat of the 2023\/2024 season by securing a <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birminghammail.co.uk\/all-about\/uefa-champions-league\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">UEFA Champion&#8217;s League<\/a> spot \u2014 the 2024\/25 campaign proved to be a decent one for the Villains. <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birminghammail.co.uk\/all-about\/aston-villa-fc\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Villa<\/a> managed to get into continental football by qualifying for the <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birminghammail.co.uk\/all-about\/europa-league\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Europa League<\/a> and will play their third consecutive season of European competition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">It looks as though there is a lot to look forward to this coming campaign. And with that in mind, we have produced our Aston Villa 2025\/26 Kick-Off special \u2014 our brilliant guide to the new season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">Our team will help you navigate through what to expect from your team this coming season, turn the spotlight on Emery while also providing in-depth analysis and opinion on your club. We look at the summer&#8217;s biggest signings, check out each ground, study the managers &#8211; new and old &#8211; and test your knowledge with our Premier League quiz.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">And we also have a full fixtures guide so you don&#8217;t miss a game in what is set to be a thrilling season. The guide is available at retailers from August 6 but can be pre-ordered online now and it is a must have for any Aston Villa fan. It is the perfect accompaniment to the season and you can own it before the squad&#8217;s opening fixture of the Premier League when they welcome Newcastle United to Villa Park on Saturday, August, 16.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Priced \u00a33.50, pre-order your copy now<a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.regionalnewspapers.co.uk\/football-pre-season-guides-202526-75-c.asp?utm_source=EPL+Pre+Seasons+2025-Reachwide&amp;utm_medium=EPL+Pre+Seasons+2025-Reachwide-Native&amp;utm_campaign=EPL+Pre+Seasons+2025&amp;utm_id=EPL+Pre+Seasons+2025\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\"> <\/a><a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.regionalnewspapers.co.uk\/aston-villa--fc-pre-season-guide-202526-4892-p.asp\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">from our online store<\/a> and get it delivered direct to your door.<\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Available to purchase in most supermarkets, high street retailers and independent newsagents in Birmingham from August 6, 2025. For online purchases, postage and packaging applies. Worldwide shipping is available.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">Everyday, the BirminghamLive football desk strive to deliver all manner of news, features and transfer-related stories as a part of our overall package of Aston Villa content.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">Our dedicated reporter John Townley &#8211; who you can follow on X by clicking <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/johntownley11\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"hereLink opens in a new tab.\" tabindex=\"0\">here<\/a> &#8211; follows Villa home and away and offers you comprehensive coverage from matchdays, press conferences and everything that happens in between.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">So much happens day to day and sometimes you can struggle to keep on top of the very latest updates as and when they occur &#8211; that&#8217;s why we have produced a daily newsletter which you can sign up to, for free, and which means you&#8217;ll have a round-up of the key stories land in your email inbox. Sign up to the Villa newsletter <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birminghammail.co.uk\/newsletter-preference-centre\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"hereLink opens in a new tab.\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">You can also get all your favourite content from BirminghamLive&#8217;s Villa team on WhatsApp. <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/chat.whatsapp.com\/Lu7kUnCkBrwBYeE8GFvleN\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Click hereLink opens in a new tab.\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here<\/a> to sign up for breaking updates about the biggest stories in and around the club.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">If you prefer reading our Villa stories on your phone, consider downloading the BirminghamLive app, in which you can personalise the content you see by selecting Villa as one of your designated topics. You can get it from Apple <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com\/?id=76202X1531042&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fapps.apple.com%2Fgb%2Fapp%2Fbirmingham-live%2Fid662307361&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.birminghammail.co.uk%2Fsport%2Ffootball%2Ftransfer-news%2Faston-villa-loanee-close-perfection-31316726\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"hereLink opens in a new tab.\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a> and for Android <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.birmingham.news&amp;hl=en_GB\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"hereLink opens in a new tab.\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \">Our weekly Aston Villa podcast, Claret And Blue, is also available to watch and listen on all major streaming services. You can subscribe to the YouTube channel <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/ClaretBlueAnAstonVillaPodcast\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"hereLink opens in a new tab.\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>, while you can access the podcast on Spotify <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/4ymHm8HRMCmR3DlXe4P8aJ\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"hereLink opens in a new tab.\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a> and via Apple <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com\/?id=76202X1531042&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fgb%2Fpodcast%2Fclaret-blue-an-aston-villa-podcast%2Fid1245197159&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.birminghammail.co.uk%2Fsport%2Ffootball%2Ftransfer-news%2Faston-villa-loanee-close-perfection-31316726\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"hereLink opens in a new tab.\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive brings you what is being reported as Villa look to make further&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":317121,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7820],"tags":[422,855,748,393,4884,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-317120","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-birmingham","8":"tag-aston-villa-fc","9":"tag-birmingham","10":"tag-britain","11":"tag-england","12":"tag-great-britain","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114970499690515207","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317120","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=317120"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317120\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/317121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=317120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=317120"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=317120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}