The series of deals began with Aston Villa selling 20-year-old midfielder Tim Iroegbunam to Everton for a reported fee of around £9 million. In a swift response, Everton sent young striker Lewis Dobbin to Villa for a similar price. Villa then agreed to offload teenager Omari Kellyman to Chelsea for £19 million, followed by reports of Chelsea’s Ian Maatsen moving to Villa for approximately £37.5 million.
While these transactions are technically separate, the timing and nature of the deals have raised eyebrows and led to accusations of clubs trying to manipulate the Profit and Sustainability Rules. Some fans have even coined the term ‘player laundering’ to describe the situation on social media.
The details of these transfers and the potential implications for the clubs involved will be closely monitored as the transfer window progresses. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.