Como have made it clear they will not budge below €80 million (£69m) should Aston Villa return with a fresh offer for Martin Baturina next year, according to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb.

The Lombardy club, who enjoyed a superb rise last season, rebuffed a €55 million proposal from Villa during the summer window and have since raised their valuation of the 23-year-old Croatian international. Sources close to the negotiations suggest the figure now represents merely a starting point, with Como hopeful of extracting an even higher fee once talks resume.

How Has Baturina Performed Since Joining Como?

Baturina arrived at Como last year after building his reputation through Dinamo Zagreb’s academy and subsequent first-team football in Croatia. His maiden campaign in Italy saw him feature 34 times, contributing eight goals and four assists across roughly 1,835 minutes, a solid if unspectacular introduction to Serie A.

This term, however, he has hit the ground running, netting three times and setting up two further goals in just four appearances. That upturn in form has understandably caught the eye of several leading European sides, Villa chief among them.

Could a Premier League Switch Materialise?

Villa’s admiration for Baturina is nothing new, yet their squad has already undergone significant reshaping this summer. Ibrahim Mbaye and Johan Manzambi arrived to strengthen the forward line, while Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins moved on, leaving a creative gap that Unai Emery will want filled.

Baturina’s versatility as an attacking midfielder makes him an appealing option, though he is far from the only name on Villa’s radar, with Alex Baena reportedly also under consideration.

Personally, Como’s stance feels less like stubbornness and more like a calculated show of ambition. Retaining their brightest talent, even briefly, reinforces the perception that they are building something sustainable rather than simply cashing in at the first opportunity.