Aston Villa, Everton, and Chelsea have been making waves in the transfer market with a series of inter-club deals that have raised eyebrows. The transactions began with 20-year-old midfielder Tim Iroegbunam moving from Villa to Everton for a reported fee of £9 million. In a reciprocal move, young Everton striker Lewis Dobbin went to Villa for a similar price.
Villa then sold teenager Omari Kellyman to Chelsea for £19 million, a substantial amount for a player with limited first-team experience. In return, Chelsea agreed to send Ian Maatsen to Villa for around £37.5 million. There were even rumors of a potential deal between Everton and Newcastle involving Yankuba Minteh and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, although talks eventually fell through.
While these transfers were technically separate transactions, the timing and nature of the deals have led to speculation among fans. Some have accused the clubs of trying to manipulate the Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules, with terms like ‘player laundering’ circulating on social media.
To shed light on the situation, GOAL breaks down the complexities of these inter-club transfers and addresses the validity of the accusations. Stay tuned for more updates as the transfer window heats up.