Luca Weinhandl to Aston Villa from Sturm Graz
Verdict Delivered
This rumor DIED. It was dropped from the board after going quiet, last rated 6%.
| Move | Sturm Graz → Villa |
| Outcome | Never happened |
| Rated at the end | 6% |
| Resolved | October 9th |
Villa are tracking the 17-year-old and have made no approach. TEAMtalk reported on September 25th that they are monitoring the Sturm Graz midfielder ahead of January, with around £20m mentioned as a possible benchmark rather than a confirmed asking price, and Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Brighton among the rivals alongside unnamed German and Italian clubs. Sport Witness, relaying 4-4-2.ch on September 17th, had Brighton leading and Arsenal the only club to have made contact, with scouts from all three watching him live. CaughtOffside, relaying Ben Jacobs on September 16th, put the figure nearer £17m. Sturm Graz are under no pressure to sell and the player is content to keep developing in Austria. He turns 18 in January, when he becomes eligible to move to England, and no advance is expected before then.
How the Story Moved
| Date | What changed | |
|---|---|---|
| September 16th | Tracked | Rumor opened on the board at 11% (linked) — source: CaughtOffside (Mark Brus), relaying Ben Jacobs's Daily Briefing. Villa are one of three Premier League clubs scouting the 17-year-old Sturm Graz midfielder, alongside Arsenal and Brighton. Mark Brus reported for CaughtOffside on September 16th, relaying Ben Jacobs's Daily Briefing, that scouts from all three watched Weinhandl in person against Rapid Wien and LASK and compiled detailed reports, and that a package worth around £17m is expected to be enough to buy him. Arsenal are furthest along, with Mikel Arteta and the club's hierarchy viewing him as a long-term midfield addition and some initial contacts already made, though nothing advanced. No Villa approach has been reported. Sturm Graz are under no pressure to sell and Weinhandl is in no hurry to leave, with concrete club-to-club talks expected only once the January window opens. He has 24 first-team appearances and two goals, the third-youngest scorer in the club's history. |
| October 9th | Verdict | Rumor died — dropped from the board at 11% |
Timeline since the rumor joined the board.