Villa once had a £12m machine who is now playing in the 11th tier

Aston Villa had their hand somewhat forced as they had to sell players this summer to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations.

This saw a few first-team players move on to pastures new during the transfer window, most notably Moussa Diaby and Douglas Luiz.

Unai Emery has recruited wisely despite this, however, and his team look like they could go close to replicating their fourth-place finish in the table from last term.

How Aston Villa’s summer sales are performing

Luiz has managed to make just seven appearances for Juventus, with only two coming in the starting XI, as the midfielder has struggled to force his way into Thiago Motta’s plans.

Diaby, on the other hand, is currently starring for his new club. Across ten matches, the winger has scored once and registered ten assists, an impressive tally, perhaps a sale that Emery could come to regret shortly.

Sometimes, players move on from a club and begin to perform better, such as Diaby. Whereas Luiz appears to be struggling this term, adjusting to a new league and manager.

Over the years, Villa have moved some players on at the right time, and some at the wrong time. One name that springs to mind concerning the former category is Ross McCormack.

How much Ross McCormack cost Aston Villa

Following an impressive spell at Fulham, the Scottish striker joined the Midlands side for a fee in the £12m region, with Roberto De Matteo hoping he could fire the club to promotion from the Championship, after a return of 21 goals and ten assists for the Cottagers in the previous season.

“I’m delighted to bring Ross on board. He’s a player with proven track record and plenty of experience in the division.” Said the Italian upon signing the former Rangers striker.

The centre-forward made just 22 appearances for the club during the first half of the season, scoring only three goals in the process.

He then joined Nottingham Forest on loan after just six months at the club, clearly not being favoured by Steve Bruce. In June 2019, just two years after signing for Villa, McCormack reached an agreement to terminate his contract. His spell cost the club £4m per goal, a total waste of vital resources.

Since leaving Villa Park, the Scot has undergone somewhat of a nomadic career.

What Ross McCormack is doing now

He did enjoy a couple of loan spells between 2018 and 2019 in the A-League, before returning to Motherwell for a handful of appearances.

Once that move turned sour, the centre-forward joined Aldershot Town, playing in the National League, where he made just two appearances before departing.

Now aged 38, the former Fulham hitman is currently turning out for Doncaster City, who play their trade in the Central Midlands Alliance Premier Division North, which is the 11th tier in the English football pyramid.

How the mighty have fallen. Only eight years ago, McCormack was scoring for fun in the Championship, and it is clear that Villa cut their losses at exactly the right time.