I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit fed up of the lack of action in the transfer window up to now and it’s all left me a bit confused. I’ve literally just read an article that suggests we need to sell half the team, including Watkins at a cut price, Martinez, Tielemens and Digne to meet our PSR requirements. Yet, I think I’m right in saying there are only three days left until the end of the year? Surely if there was that much of a problem, deals would have been done by now?
I think it’s pretty indicative of a) how the media talk balls and b) we probably don’t have a PSR issue at all, as some have suggested. Of course, the Uefa rules, where it’s about wages compared to revenue is a different subject and I’m not talking about that, as much as it will be an issue.
Or could it be that we’re about to sell the ladies setup to ourselves for a stupidly over-valued cost, like Chelsea did? They disgusted pretty much everybody in the game by doing the deal for £198 million. They might as well just done the deal for a nice round £200 million or did they think that might seem like they were taking the proverbial? You have to laugh.
But seriously, if they don’t get sanctioned, Villa might as well do it too, as the precedent will have been set. It reminds me of Harold Macmillan talking about Thatcher selling off the family silver and as much as I have absolutely no interest in women’s football, I’m not sure it’s something I want to see happening. Still, if needs must I’m certainly not going to complain about it and it would keep the wolf from the door. For a while, anyway.
And then a question that’s playing on my mind. Should I book to go and see our friendly against Villareal? After my exploits in the middle of winter at Anfield, where I left well before the end because I was so cold, I’ve realised I’m now very much a warm weather live football watcher and Spain absolutely suits the bill for that. I’m not going to suddenly become a Villareal supporter, but the name is dangerously close, isn’t it? At the minute it just makes sense, as it’s any excuse for me to get over to our place and a game in Spain, with watching the Villa thrown in as a bonus, would just be a good experience.
I can get a return flight for 8 days, I think it is, for just over 100 euros with car hire and a ticket easily done for another 100. That’s a steal when I think about it. And it’s only the fact that I’m currently out of work that’s putting me off. That probably sounds a bit odd, but you can guarantee if I do arrange the trip, I’ll get a job offer and have to forego the trip. Hmm.
I might just do it anyway and if I can’t go, oh well, at least I’ll be back in work.
Comments
108 responses to “A total lack of anything substantial to write about and Villareal, do I or don’t I?”
A pity it never worked for him at VP, such a talented player.
Villa fined £11 million by Uefa.
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/breaking-uefa-punish-aston-villa-31996939
Yes, that makes total sense. A club is deemed to be struggling ubder your crappy rules, so you fine it £11 mill and add to the supposed woes.
Perfect sense. The clowns.
How bloody ridiculous is this fine? K is your place Villa – we don’t care if you have honourable honours who financially back the club with their money, not borrow money! The set up is wrong. Why can’t a club getting into Europe be allowed a perils of spending more if the owners back it. Why not have a ‘growth fund’? If you want to overspend, then you place the money into a pot UEFA / Premier which is for the duration of the player(s) contract. If Villa went £40m over and gave 5 year contracts, need to place £200m in an account until these contract expire. There would need to be a limit, otherwise Newcastle will smash everyone.
However good to see Chelsea have €20m fine and Barcelona €15m.
“Sporting measures should these targets not be met (i.e. stricter restriction on the registration of new players on the list A and exclusion from the next UEFA club competitions for which they will qualify.”
So you can buy players but they wont be eligible (should the criteria not be met)?
Reading between the lines, is this a way to stop the premiership’s dominance?
Whilst I don’t like the financial regulations, I think on balance EUFA’s approach is more equitable than the EPL and also applied in a more pragmatic way.
From reports NSWE knew they would face a fine but accepted it on the basis of pushing their strategy for the club. Again the fine does not semi disproportionate to those handed out to other clubs.
Villa now have two significant challenges – the first is reducing their wage bill over the next three seasons in accordance with the agreement with EUFA; failing to do so would lead to a further fine of €15m and the possibility of suspension from European competition. However this demonstrates that EUFA are taking a realistic and fair approach to the challenges for a club of reducing its SCR
The second, and equally important one, is for Villa to register any new players on its A List for the Europa League it must have a positive transfer balance at the ent of the window. It seems to me that this is what’s driving the probability of a sale of (at least?) one top first team player.
As a result I don’t expect Villa to sign any big ticket (transfer cost) players this summer to ensure they can add players (Malen for instance) to their registered A List.
I would like to see Asensio at VP – the transfer fee is unlikely to be a problem unlike the wages which are the main issue.
Going to be an interesting few weeks.
Should just add – I think my interpretation is correct but what I couldn’t establish is in calculating the balance whether the cost of new acquisitions can be amortised (as in PSR) or whether it’s the balance between total acquisition costs and total sales revenue.
Asensio started really well for us when he signed, but his form and goals quickly faded. His selection also meant Rogers was moved out wide and became less effective. Considering the fine handed out because of our wage bill, I can’t see the logic in signing him. We have just offloaded Coutinho from the books who was on a huge wage and started brilliantly but faded away too.
Monchi needs to unearth young talent who will not bump up the wage bill dramatically. Digne, Bailey and maybe Watkins or Ramsey I assume will leave, which will bring us closer to the 70% target.
If I read the agreement with EUFA correctly we have three years to get the wage bill down which is equitable and means we don’t have to sell all our top earners now.
The issue is more likely to be the EPL moving from PSR to a similar arrangement of squad costs although I suspect it would initially be 80% (and PSR is continuing next season).
I agree with you on Asensio – it’s his wages that are the problem rather than the likely transfer fee although it seems the agreement with EUFA relating to registering List A players is calculated on the balance between the total cost saving (of a player leaving) and that of the playing transferring in.
So we have to get our wage bill down but Chelsea and man u can spend what they like , corrupt as fuck not really looking forward to the new season to be honest
All the rules are to protect the media love in clubs. We have a great manager who despite lesser resources, has managed to compete, but when you read and hear our best players can be picked off to comply with all the rules and regulations, then it’s a bit like climbing a ladder when there are already 6 or 7 people above you and there is no way of getting to the top ahead of them.
6 or 7 above you taking a sh*t…
I am not so sure the SCR rules will be insurmountable. Apparently with the reduction in wages, Villa managed to inflate them last January with the loan players. It was reported that we have 3 years to reduce SCR and cannot increase the % from now on.
Already we have shaved a chunk off the salaries to income. Approximate figures below:
Rashford: £225k
Ascensio: £115k
Disasi: £40k
Coutihno: £135k – assume Villa paid 1/2 to get off books but will take full salary.
Olsen: £50k
Hause: £10k
Kessler-Hayden: £3k
Total: £578k per week- £30m per year, which equates to near 12 of SCR! A significant movement in the right direction.
I guess a key bit will be getting rid of these players to provide the salary headroom so that replacements can be bought in:
Buendia: £65k
Deondoncker: £90k
Bailey: £120k
Barry: £5k
Nedeljkovic: £10k
Moreno: £35k
Total: £325k per week – nearly £17m per year – approximately 6% of SCR.
I would argue that Villa could lose all these players and not detrimentally be worse off and still be able to buy new players.
Then finally players who are possible sacrifices that start to impact on our ability to win matches:
Martinez: £150k
Digne: £120k
Cash: £80k
Watkins: £130k
Ramsey: £70k – makes no sense to sell – a small earner.
Total: £550k – £28.6m – a further 10% off SCR.
So based on the back of a cigarette packet maths, it’s all looking rosy for Villa. Potentially lots of flexibility to buy or loan players we want.
And still, every 3rd article about Villa talks about PSR as though we’re about to collapse…
Must admit, I’m a bit bored by the news embargo. Would be good to look back and see if ANY of the so called links work out to have been correct…
I agree with you Sid but we have to sell first.
As I understand it under the agreement with EUFA we also have to make a surplus on player costs otherwise we cannot register any new A List players (this may include Malen?). Not clear on player costs but it seems to be the total of wages, transfer fees and other related cost (such as agents fees).
The potential big sticking point is if we have to account for the whole of a transfer fee for a new player rather than the just the amortised amount. I hope it’s the latter otherwise we are well and truly screwed.
As an aside, Chelsea face the same potential embargo as we do.
Indeed Bum bum.
My bet is it’ll be the usual 95%+ that are wrong.
The good news is the Villareal game is confirmed. I didn’t know it wasn’t.
The bad news is that we play in Marseilles the day before.
So half a team at best.
Plus a 9.00pm KO, so I’m going to be mega late getting home.
Not surprised with the heat though, I suppose.
I’d push that to 99% Badger…That Villareal game looks tasty!!!!
Looks like Elanga is going to Newcastle. I was hoping we could get him but the Barcodes are way ahead of us now and with a state backing.
We probably won’t be finishing above them in the future for a long time.
So we now have a Super 7 we have to try and overhaul. PSR and FFP and whatever else keeps us in our little box ensures our mediocrity.
I feel for Emery and our owners who have the ambition, but it’s a bit like having their hands tied behind their back before going into a boxing match.
Even Everton being linked with our captain as we fight to keep what we currently have.
I think I’m down in the dumps with the lack of quality coming in and just the links to our top players going out.
Or the lack of anybody coming in Holte.
Villa are usually quick off the blocks in the window so I’d suggest we have to sell first in order to comply with the EUFA mandate on registering new A List players.
What isn’t clear is whether that also applies to existing players not previously registered such as Malen?
In moments of weakness, I could almost feel sympathy with Clownley. He is so utterly cut off from real news about comings and goings at Villa that he has to copy stuff from Manchester Lies. “United want Watkins” = a has-been blabbermouth ex United player thinks it would be a good idea – because Amorim has pissed off his entire squad of forwards.
Nothing to stop Villa buying first. If we have a player who is not included in our UEFA A list he may still play in all our league matches.
Other clubs have hijacked Villa deals in the past because wacky leaks Clownley has blabbed. He is not being given any clues now.
Our club should be more communicative with the fans. If we don’t have any intention of selling players, it would be refreshing to hear them say they are not for sale. After all, they are quick to post advertisements for the latest training gear or to buy your season tickets before the deadline.
With every season that passes, the fans are treated with more contempt and purely seen as cash cows!
This transfer as (so far) been the dullest in the history of transfer windows, all football politics, PSR and UEFA shenanigans and total BS on news now and any other outlet you care mention.
Roll on the August 16th.
A
BILL
TO
Establish the Independent Football Regulator; to make provision for the
licensing of football clubs; to make provision about the distribution of revenue
received by organisers of football competitions; and for connected purposes.
B E IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
(Can’t wait for this BS to become law 🤦♂️)
Since when do Governments get directly involved in private companies?
Imho this has got nothing to do with protecting fans just more Government control and interference.
Is this unprecedented?
Can you imagine the idiot Lisa Nandy having anything worthwhile to add to the debate?
Independent Football Regulator – Yet another Quango no doubt made up of cronies busy lining their pockets at the tax payers expense?
Here’s a job advert on the gov.uk website.
Chair
Organisation – Independent Football Regulator
Sponsor department – Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Location – North West
Sectors – Culture, Media & Sport
Skills – Regulation
Number of vacancies 1
Time commitment – 3 day(s) per week
Remuneration – £130,000 per annum
Length of term -This is an appointment of up to five years, with the possibility of renewal to a second term.
(Not bad for a three day week = 144 days, works out around £900 per day?)
https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/8097
F***in ‘ell.
Sorry, I mean, good grief!
Good news.
Lyon have won their appeal, meaning Palace will be demoted to the Conference league cup.
That’s our bogey team out;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14889823/Crystal-Palace-Europa-League-Lyon.html
I really hope so!
But Palace will appeal it if so!
It is true. I feel sorry for them. Palace ex-owner who has just sold saying he really didn’t expect Palace to be in European football.
Imagine us being refused a CL place because of this madness!!!
Made up fuckin hate palace ha haa
Anyone off to VP tonight to see Kendrick Lamar and SZA?
No? Me neither. Apparently it’s nothing to do with Kajagoogoo! 🙂
Love to but too busy putting pins in eyes 😂
Who? Who? And who?
Mate Who? Who? And Who? Is about right.
I Googled them, watched the video and the question I’m now asking myself is Why? Why? And Why?
60 million Gibbs-White to Spurs. 25 year of age. The perfect long-term replacement for McGinn. Will prove to be money very well spent in my opinion…
But has he got a big arse?
What’s this rumour about Monchi leaving???????
“Iconic commentator Ian Darke believes that the Spaniard could depart the B6 this summer, as he may fancy a new challenge.”
Pure speculation.
Ian Darke that commentator for Sky’s big boxing fights with his finger well and truly on the pulse of all things AVFC.
It’s confirmed. Palace have been demoted and Forest are in;
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/uefa-make-major-crystal-palace-32043721
Palace might appeal, but reading that, I doubt they’ll succeed.
Villa close to signing Brest GK Marco Bizot, 34. He has just one year left on his contract so it won’t be a large fee and I expect his wages to be lower than those of Olsen. He can’t be any worse – can he?
He’ll come in as an experienced No2 which doesn’t suggest Emi’s on his way out – does it?
Didn’t you know we are skint and in deep shhhh it
he is emis replacement
as we have to sell at least 6 top players
roll on the start of the season so we can get past all the click bait crap
When do we think the holidays will end?
Apparently Monchi is in Spain trying to save his hometown club, so it would appear they’re definitely not fully back at work yet.
I don’t have a problem with it. Everyone is entitled to a holiday, especially if it means you get to go back home.
But even I’m becoming a bit concerned about the lack of activity.
Plus the BS that’s doing the rounds is doing my nut in and it would be nice to actually have something to write about.
That said, it’s great that the media prove more and more every day that they know absolutely nothing.
Media know f*** all about what is going on at Villa. So much bullshit that I have stopped looking. I will wait till something pops up on the official site.
Aha, this looks a bit more solid.
Marco Bizot is apparently being flown to the Villa this evening to sign.
It originally comes from L’Equipe, but it’s a subscription site and is in French anyway.
https://sportsview.co.uk/2025/07/brest-goalkeeper-marco-bizot-set-to-join-aston-villa
Ooo la laaa!!!! Les contretemps a la pampelmousse?
Je suis en chat un baguette!
🙂
Indeed.
He is being touted as possibly a replacement for Martinez.
I don’t see that in the slightest. He’s decent backup, I hope.
Apparently he’s a great pro, which is what’s needed for a player who’s not going to get much of a chance to play.
I get the feeling we’ll suddenly see a flood of ins and outs in the next 10 days. Nothing to do with any media twaddle.
We have the best set of negotiators in the game. Trading by these guys is not done in the open. The more ‘contacts’ we have that play using discretion the better. It suits everyone.