Yahoo News Aston Villa 'pushing' for controversial £135m deal as next step revealed
Aston Villa are reportedly pushing for the Premier League to raise the maximum limit of permitted losses for the final season of its Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
PSR will be changed for the 2025-26 season with a new squad cost rule set to be introduced that limits clubs to spending a maximum of 85 per cent of their revenue on wages, transfers and agents’ fees. Reports emerged on Monday that the Premier League clubs had voted 16 to 3 that they wished to see the introduction of a spending cap - Chelsea were the 20th club who abstained from voting - with Villa, as well as both clubs from Manchester, defeated.
The cap would involve the teams at the top being able to spend on transfer fees and salaries a multiple of what the bottom club in the division earns - last year, basement side Southampton made just over £100m. The proposals are with creating a fairer financial landscape in the Premier League in mind. For many, Villa's call to vote against came as a surprise.
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The Times now claim that Villa want to increase the allowed losses over three years by an additional £25m, from £105m to £135m. Villa are said to have raised the issue with clubs this week for the limit to be increased.
Everton and Nottingham Forest were both deducted points for breaching the limit, so a change in the final season of PSR rules would be highly controversial.
Villa would need to formally raise the issue at the league’s annual meeting in June for a vote to take place after reportedly initially doing so at the Premier League shareholders meeting in London on Monday.
Villa have previously insisted they are operating within the PSR limit despite announcing a £119.6million loss for last season. The Times said both Villa and the Premier League declined to comment.
