Aston Villa primed to bank £12.5m after sanctioning transfer and agreeing to clause
Aston Villa have sanctioned a loan move for Kosta Nedeljkovic, who has joined RB Leipzig for the remainder of the season - but, to the surprise of some, the German club have clinched an agreement with the Lions over an option to buy ahead of the summer transfer window.
Nedeljkovic cost Villa around £8m when they completed his signing 12 months ago from boyhood club Red Star Belgrade in his native Serbia. The right-back signed a five-year deal, of which one will have elapsed by the time the summer comes around, but it remains to be seen whether Nedeljkovic has actually played his last game for the club.
The youngster, who only turned 19 in December, has made 10 appearances spanning four competitions this season; his only starts came against Wycombe and Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup earlier this season, and more recently he has been used as an impact substitute. He was an 83rd minute substitute for Lamare Bogarde at Wolves on Saturday.
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With Villa having completed the signing of Andres Garcia from Levante to compete with established first choice right back - and the currently unfit - Matty Cash, and with Bogarde and Ezri Konsa having also filled in on the right of defence, Unai Emery was happy for Nedeljkovic to leave on loan.
That Leipzig have the power to make the deal a permanent arrangement might raise a few eyebrows, however; should Nedeljkovic perform and suitably impress, they can sign him for €10.5m with €4.5m in add-ons - that's around £12.5m and would mean Villa making a small profit on what they paid for Nedeljkovic themselves a year ago.
