---
title: "Aston Villa face significant obstacle in chase for Josh King"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2021/01/18/aston-villa-josh-king-transfer-latest-wage-demands/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Crippy Cooke"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2021-01-18T19:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-01-18T19:00:00Z"
---

# Aston Villa face significant obstacle in chase for Josh King

Aston Villa would probably like to bring in a striker before the January transfer window shuts as Wesley Moraes is [recovering from a long-term injury](https://readastonvilla.com/2021/01/01/one-step-at-a-time-wesley-gives-injury-update/) and Keinan Davis is [without a goal in 22 Premier League games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/keinan-davis/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/412660/wettbewerb/GB1/verein/405).

[Josh King](https://readastonvilla.com/2020/12/22/aston-villa-josh-king-january-transfer-latest-gregg-evans/) has been continually linked with the Villans, but [The Sun](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/13763021/josh-king-transfer-everton-bournemouth-contract/) reported that his contract demands might be a stumbling block.

The 29-year-old is coming to the end of a four-year deal [signed](https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/first-team/joshua-king-signs-new-four-year-deal/) at Bournemouth in 2017 and could be on his way out of Dean Court this month as the Cherries won’t want to lose him for nothing. They [rejected](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/12101595/joshua-king-bournemouth-reject-13m-west-ham-offer) a £13m offer from West Ham United in the summer transfer window and may do well to get as much money now.

According to [The Sun](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/13763021/josh-king-transfer-everton-bournemouth-contract/), Villa’s problem isn’t King’s asking price but his £120,000-a-week contract and wage demands. Indeed, Bournemouth are prepared to let him leave this month if a satisfactory deal can be struck.

As per [Spotrac](https://www.spotrac.com/epl/aston-villa-fc/payroll/), Jack Grealish is the only player in the squad who earns more than Tyrone Mings’ £80,000-a-week, so it remains to be seen if they’ll pay so much for King. The 29-year-old has failed to score in [10 Championship appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joshua-king/leistungsdaten/spieler/91059) this season, so there might be better options out there for lower wages.

### **READ ASTON VILLA VERDICT**

Dean Smith could do with a prolific striker to take the scoring burden off Ollie Watkins, but Villa want value for money.

In addition to King, [Odsonne Edouard](https://theathletic.com/2265513/2020/12/22/aston-villa-sensible-transfers/), [Ivan Toney](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-edouard-toney-19439054) and [Divock Origi](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-edouard-toney-19439054) are said to be on Villa’s radar, but it remains to be seen who will come in. What seems clear-cut, however, is that Bournemouth’s Norwegian marksman won’t be gracing the Villa Park arrivals’ hall any time soon.