ASTON VILLA have laid bare their frantic six-week scramble to avoid a double-digit points deduction for breaking the Premier League’s financial rules.
Director of football Damian Vidagany admits their 150th anniversary celebrations came perilously close to being ruined amid fears they could cop a whopping 12-point penalty.
And he confessed: “There was a bomb with a countdown clock — our job was to cut the cable.”
While Villa fans enjoyed their summer break after qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in 42 years, the club’s power brokers were frantically working behind the scenes to avoid a Profit and Sustainability Rules breach.
Villa’s spending exceeded the £105million of losses permitted over a three-year period by the Premier League.
There were fears they would suffer a similar punishment to Everton who faced a 12-point deduction for the three years to 2022.
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The Toffees were eventually slapped with a ten-point penalty — which was reduced to six on appeal.
And now, Vidagany and transfer guru Monchi have lifted the lid on the frantic 40 days they had to balance the books and avoid disaster.
Vidagany, who tasked Monchi with raising more than £40m in pure profit, revealed: “May 20 until June 30 is normally a holiday period for everyone in football — but not for us.
“While everybody was cheering and celebrating at our club party when we qualified for the Champions League, Monchi and I were thinking, ‘How do we avoid spoiling this beautiful anniversary year by not having a points deduction?’ ”
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Villa slam Premier League’s financial rules
By Graeme Bryce
ASTON VILLA have launched a blistering attack on the Prem’s financial rules — branding them a “perversion” which protects the established elite.
Villa were forced to sell Brazil international midfielder Douglas Luiz to Juventus this summer for £50million to avoid a potential 12-point PSR deduction.
And director of football Damian Vidagany fumed: “The threat of points deductions is like a weapon on the head of the clubs with ambition. The system is a perversion because it doesn’t matter how committed your owners are, how wealthy they are or how good your accounts are.
“You are forbidden to grow because you don’t have more revenues.
“To get revenue, what do you need? To win. What do you need to win? To spend.
“But you cannot spend. So if you don’t spend, you don’t win, you don’t get revenue and you stay in the same vicious cycle always.”
Villa have billionaire owners and no debt — while rivals like Manchester United and Tottenham are both more than £600m in the red.
Yet PSR rules meant the club made a net profit on transfers of around £7m this summer.
Vidagany added: “We don’t owe money to anyone but clubs with more revenue but huge debts can spend much more than us. Where is the sense in that?
“Many clubs borrow. We don’t have this problem, but we still can’t spend our money.
“Our owners would like to invest, to spend, they would like to be at the top. But they aren’t allowed.”
President of football operations Monchi explained: “It’s important to understand in this transfer window we had two different moments. Before June 30 we had to find the solution for the problem of Financial Fair Play.
“After June 30, we had to build the best squad possible for the Champions League.
“One easy solution would have been to sell Ollie Watkins, our top striker, or Emi Martinez, the best goalkeeper in the world, because we had plenty of offers for him and also for Jacob Ramsey.”
Vidagany added: “Rivals knew we were in a weak position because everybody knows who has PSR problems. Some tried to take advantage. It’s a jungle and everyone looks after their own interests.”
Monchi was handed three crucial tasks:
- Solve Villa’s PSR problems.
- Produce a younger squad on lower wages.
- Conjure up the new signings boss Unai Emery needed to bolster his squad to cope with additional demands of Champions League football — their first time in Europe’s elite club competition since the 1982-83 season when they qualified as reigning European Cup holders.
Villa managed to sell £143.5m of talent this summer, while splashing out £136.6m on eight new players, including £50m on midfielder Amadou Onana from Everton and £37m for Chelsea’s Ian Maatsen.
But the sale which saved them from PSR punishment was Douglas Luiz’s £50m move to Juventus.
Vidagany said: “Negotiations with Juventus went to the final day because there were so many actors in the deal.
“But that meant dealing with three agents, three players, two clubs. If one domino jumps out of line you can’t complete the deal.
“It went to the final day of the PSR window — all the time there was a loaded weapon against our heads.”
Monchi added: “We had another problem. Douglas Luiz was in the USA with Brazil for the Copa America and we needed to do the medical and sign the contract… it was crazy.”
Vidagany revealed: “There was one sleepless night. Brazil played in Vegas and we were supposed to meet them in their hotel afterwards so Douglas could sign his Juventus contract.
“But Brazil were scared about their players partying and decided against staying in Vegas!
“From the moment we originally shook hands with Juventus until the final signing, it was one month and took until the final seconds on June 30.”
One way Villa will ease their PSR concerns next summer is through the Champions League.
And Monchi believes they have the man to guide them to success in Emery.
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Monchi added: “He is a game-changer for this club, one of the best managers in the world.
“Without Unai, Aston Villa would have never escaped the loop between top ten and top 12.”
Premier League sides deducted points and others at risk
Nottingham Forest
Deducted four points during the 2023-24 season for breaching Premier League spending limit by £34.563m. Failed in their appeal with decision upheld.
Everton
Initial 10-point deduction for 2021-22 Premier League breaches reduced to six points on appeal. Were deducted a further two points later in the 2023-24 season. Appealed, but since withdrawn following Prem survival.
Sheffield United
Hit with a two-point deduction for their finances during the 2022-23 EFL season. Will begin the 2024-25 Championship season on -2 points following their relegation from the Prem.
OTHERS WHO COULD FACE PUNISHMENT…
Manchester City
Etihad club emphatically denies the 115 allegations laid against them in February 2023. The lengthy Commission case has been scheduled to start in October or November but a final decision is not expected until March or April 2025.
Chelsea
Blues chiefs flagged up illicit payments made to agents and others during the Roman Abramovich era. Fined £8.6m by Uefa but still to be formally charged by the Prem despite an ongoing investigation.
Leicester
Foxes breached Prem PSR loss limits last season but did not have to report their 2022-23 accounts until this month because of their relegation. That puts the timetable back and means that they will probably face a Prem points deduction for the 2024-25 season following their return to the top flight.
Everton (again)
The Toffees are again at risk of breaking PSR rules and are in a race against time to raise funds and balance the books. Not only could that lead to another charge but also administration. That would lead to an automatic nine-point deduction for the 2024/25 season.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
