TWTD has learnt that Aston Villa have offered Town £4 million for skipper Matt Holland. However, the Blues are keen that if their skipper is to leave the transfer figure should be higher, somewhere approaching the £6 million quoted earlier in the summer.
Yesterday we reported that the two clubs were in talks regarding Holland and it seems the level of the fee is the main sticking point.
Villa are very keen to get Holland, but do not have an endless supply of cash at the moment. However, it is likely that they would be willing to pay a larger fee than £4 million, perhaps somewhere around the £4.5 million mark, Town wanting the entire fee up front.
Holland is one of Town's best paid players on a wage of around £15,000-a-week. With the removal of his wages, bonuses, insurance and other payments, his sale would make a big difference to Town's financial situation, although it still seems likely another player may go before the end of the transfer window, Marcus Bent looking the favourite.
Holland himself could, like Hermann Hreidarsson before him, refuse a move, and it is understood that his family is settled in East Anglia, however, it is unlikely that he is blind to the current plight of the club or that he is disinterested in a move back to the Premiership.
AFC Bournemouth will be watchng the situation closely as they stand to gain 25% of any profit the Blues make on the £800,000 they paid for Holland back in 1997.