Aston Villa Still Short Of Club Brugge’s Demands For Defender | OneFootball

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Aston Villa are falling short of Club Brugge’s valuation for Joel Ordonez, with the Belgian giants in no rush to sanction the defender’s departure.

Unai Emery’s side are scouring the market for another presence at the heart of their defence, with Ezri Konsa’s move to Arsenal leaving a vacancy to address.

The Villans have been pushing to bring Taylor Harwood-Bellis in from Southampton, although there is a difference in valuation between the two sides which has not been bridged.

Even with Harwood-Bellis potentially arriving, the Midlands outfit have not abandoned their pursuit of Ordonez and remain eager to bring the defender at Villa Park.

Personal terms are not proving a sticking point for Aston Villa with the Ecuador international, while discussions with Club Brugge continue in an effort to bridge the gap between the two clubs.

According to Belgian journalist Tomas Taecke, Aston Villa are ready to offer ‘little under’ €30m for Ordonez, but that figure has yet to tempt Club Brugge into opening the door.

The Belgian champions are holding their ground at a valuation above €30m, while also seeking bonuses and a sell-on clause within the package before giving the defender a route out.

Club Brugge have little incentive to force through Ordonez’s departure, with Han Beom-Lee set to miss a month because of the Asian Cup in January, leaving the Belgian side mindful of their numbers at centre-back.

The Ecuador international also has three years left on his contract with the Blue-Blacks, further strengthening Club Brugge’s hand as they continue to stand by their valuation.

Whether Aston Villa are willing to stretch their offer remains to be seen, with the dialogue between the clubs still ongoing.

Even if Emery’s side get Ordonez over the line, he would not be ready for an immediate debut, with the defender currently recovering from injury and not expected back until mid-September.

That could also mean his medical takes longer than usual.

The Villans had also looked into a move for Fikayo Tomori from AC Milan, although that avenue has yet to gather any real momentum.