Aston Villa have opened with a €50m to €55m push for Martin Baturina, but Como are holding their line at €80m. That leaves the club's first major midfield move of the summer stuck in a familiar place, with a gap that is still too wide to call bridged. Leeds United had previously been linked with a €30m plus bonuses offer in January, which gives some sense of how sharply the price has moved.

Why Como are not backing down

Como finished fifth in Serie A with 68 points, so this is not the profile of a club that has to sell at the first serious offer. Cesc Fabregas said after the Cremonese match, "We need to raise the level, the organisation, and many other things. It needs to be done right away", which fits the posture they are taking here. If Villa want Baturina, they are negotiating with a side that can point to progress and demand a premium.

The valuation also changes how the move should be read. A €50m to €55m bid is a major statement, but it is not close to Como's €80m asking price. Baturina's recent run includes repeated ratings around 7.0 and above, which explains why the interest exists, but not why the fee has suddenly become easy to justify.

Mbaye looks far closer

The same cannot be said for Ibrahim Mbaye. Romaine CG said he is "very close to joining" Aston Villa, and TEAMtalk described Villa as progressing quickly on the deal. That makes Mbaye look like the more advanced of Villa's two summer stories, even if the move is still being reported rather than confirmed.

Villa's wider position helps explain why they can attack the market this way. They finished fourth in the Premier League, and their Europa League run brought seven wins from eight matches. On top of that, Mick Brown has said Villa are speaking to Lamare Bogarde about a new contract, so this is not just about adding bodies, it is also about keeping hold of players they already rate highly.

The more likely outcome right now is that Villa get a quicker answer on Mbaye than they do on Baturina. The Baturina chase is being fought on valuation, and Como are not moving off €80m. Mbaye is the one that sounds close enough to become Villa's first signing of the summer.

Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →