Aston Villa will have to sell players this summer in order to comply with PSR rules, as Unai Emery faces the prospect of losing some key figures in the dressing room.
As per a recent report from The Athletic, Villa may need to raise at least £15 million in sales before the start of the next football financial year, which commences on July 1.
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The Villans may reluctantly cash in for below value.
Their marquee sales of Moussa Diaby and Jhon Duran have seriously assisted NSWE’s mission to comply with Premier League rules for the year ending 2024/2025, as has their estimated £70 million earnings from reaching the Champions League quarter-finals last season, but they’re still walking a tightrope when it comes to PSR.
Villa’s president of footballing operations, Monchi, is reportedly working “around the clock” to secure a big-name exit before the June 30 cut-off date (Football Insider), with the Man United-linked Emiliano Martínez, Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana among their prime contenders to be sold.
A major debate is surrounding the validity of PSR and whether these tight financial restrictions create an even bigger gap between the ‘big six’ and the rest of England, with clubs like Villa forced to actively weaken themselves just to stay within certain limits.
With Villa in such a precarious position after falling short in their bid to qualify for the Champions League next season, instead having to settle for the much less lucrative Europa League prize pool, reports they could lose goalkeeper Martinez to Old Trafford are heightening.
The Argentine mainstay is rumoured to be very keen on a move to United, and he could well be the illustrious sale made by Villa chiefs in their efforts to stay within the PSR limit.
However, there are other Emery starters who could leave prior to June 30 too, with £120,000-per-week left-back Lucas Digne attracting serious interest from La Liga.
Aston Villa defender Lucas Digne in talks to join Atlético Madrid
The 52-cap Frenchman was a firm regular under Emery last season, making 45 appearances in all competitions, even if he was in and out of the starting eleven towards the back end of 24/25.
Atlético Madrid are actively pursuing a new left-back and Digne is on Diego Simeone’s radar, with Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey sharing news this week that he could leave for around £10 million.
Atlético are preparing an opening bid of around £8 million for the 31-year-old, who’s out of contract next summer, but this will fall short of Monchi’s desired asking price, with Villa looking to gain as much breathing room as possible between them and the PSR axe.
Digne has opened talks to join Atletico from Villa, though, so discussions between the former Everton defender’s representatives and Simeone’s side have started.
Emery being in this situation of having to sell important players, amid their efforts to become an elite-level side, is perhaps a damning indictment of PSR and how the governing bodies need to re-assess these roadblocks.
However, at least for now, Villa will need to continue dancing around it.
