http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jul/25/jordan-ayew-lorient-aston-villa
The Ghana striker Jordan Ayew has accused his club Lorient of pricing him out of his
anticipated move to Aston Villa, claiming the Ligue 1 club raised their demands at the last minute.
The 23-year-old, who scored 12 league goals last season, flew into the UK on Friday to discuss personal terms after Villa made a bid of around £9m in an effort to
replace Christian Benteke. However, Ayew, whose brother André joined Swansea this summer from Marseille, told L’Equipe on Saturday that Lorient had changed his asking price. He called the club’s conduct “imcomprehensible”.
“They said I could go for €10m or €12m,” he told the paper, “but now they want £10m with £2m in add-ons, which makes it about €17m. It’s nonsense! I’m really annoyed, it’s amazing what they are doing to me. They pointed out how many millions Villa paid for [Jordan] Amavi [£10m] but I’m not Amavi. We’re two different players.” He continued: “It’s finished for me. They bought me for €5m and they are blocking me now. I am in Birmingham, I am off to
Aston Villa and nothing will change my mind. My whole family wants to go to England. It’s the right time. “I am not going to training [with Lorient] again. That’s over for me. It is true that I have a contract but I had a good year, so they make a good profit and you cannot change the rules like that … In my head, in any case, I have left.”
Alex Hayes, vice-president of
Lorient, told
LeTélégramme in response: “Jordan is under contract, so we expect him back here tonight [for a friendly against Caen]. As it stands we are in negotiations. He only leaves if both clubs agree. If the deal is done, it will be great for him. Otherwise he will be forced to return. We hope for a positive outcome.”
