Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will be keen to significantly bolster his squad ahead of taking part in the Champions League next season.
In order to do this, however, the Spaniard must sell a few players before the end of the month to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
Douglas Luiz looks like he will be joining Juventus, while Tim Iroegbunam has joined Everton for a fee of around £9m.
They aren’t the only two who will be departing the Midlands, as Omari Kellyman looks set to leave the club in the next few days.
Aston Villa exit news
According to David Ornstein, Chelsea are close to reaching an agreement to sign the youngster for a fee of around £19m this summer.
He still needs to complete a medical and finalise personal terms before sealing a move to the Stamford Bridge side.
While Kellyman certainly had plenty of promise, raking in a profit of over £18m for an 18-year-old was clearly too good an offer for the club to turn down.
How much Villa signed Kellyman for
This is a rather staggering move. Indeed, with Kellyman having cost Villa £600k when he joined from Derby County in 2022, it is being described by some as one of the most successful transfers of all time.
This £19m fee, coupled with deals to sell Luiz and Iroegbunam in recent days, will surely allow Emery the opportunity to finally begin searching for players to bolster his first-team squad with.
Kellyman might not have been in his immediate thoughts, but there is no doubt he was on the radar ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, especially after making six first-team appearances for the club last season.
Journalist Ashley Preece lauded the young talent back in the summer of 2022, claiming that Kellyman was a “star in the making” and it looks like the next stage of his development will be in London.
Across just 11 matches in Premier League 2, Kellyman showcased his attacking capabilities by scoring seven goals, while adding an assist in an EFL Trophy match against Sutton United.
He played two matches in that competition, averaging 1.5 successful dribbles, winning 6.5 total duels per game and averaging a shot per game, proving that not only is he great at going forward and taking on defenders, but his physical strength will also stand him in good stead in the senior game.
He joins plenty of other talented prospects moving to Chelsea and competition will be fierce with regard to making inroads into the first team.
Emery won't be bothered by this, however, especially after securing a £19m transfer fee for the player.
Having cost only £600k, Kellyman’s transfer fee means his value has soared by a simply remarkable 3000% in just over a year, which is a staggering number.
It is clear the Villa Park side have hit the jackpot on the Englishman and this money will clearly go towards players who will improve the starting XI ahead of tough challenges on the continent next term.
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1 ByRoss Kilvington