According to Marseille boss Andre-Villas Boas, the French club have turned down an offer from Aston Villa for Morgan Sanson.

What's the story?

Reports in recent days had suggested Dean Smith's side had opened talks with Marseille over a move for the French midfielder, with suggestions that an €18m (£16m) offer was mode.

Now, Villas-Boas has chimed in on where things stand at the moment with the £50k-per-week earning ace. Speaking to Telefoot (via RMC Sport), the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss said: "Morgan, he had a very, very weak offer from Aston Villa. It was immediately turned down. So, he’s with us and focused, I hope."

Unforgivable from Lange

Given the incredible first-half of the Premier League season Smith and his team have enjoyed so far - they find themselves just eight points off fourth-placed Liverpool but with two games in hand - it would be reasonable for the Villa boss to expect some backing in this January transfer window.

Having avoided relegation on the final day of last season, Smith has worked a minor miracle in getting his team absolutely flying and even in contention of an amazing European place at the end of the campaign.

The least he will be expecting is for the likes of Johan Lange and co to do their own jobs off the pitch, and in this case getting a deal over the line for Sanson, who appears to be the man Villa want.

But sending in a low-ball offer to Marseille in the hopes of pulling off a bargain basement deal always comes with the risk of really putting someone's nose out of place, and the Ligue 1 side could quite understandably change the goalposts.

It's all about being savvy, and Lange is in serious danger of cutting his nose off to spite his face. Villa simply have to put the money on the table and get a deal done, and ensure Smith has got the players he wants to maintain their fabulous start to the season.

This transfer update won't have left have the Villa boss happy at all.