Aston Villa is one of several clubs recently penalised by UEFA for violating financial regulations. This news came shortly after the announcement that NSWE had agreed to sell the women`s team, a move intended to help the club comply with the Premier League`s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
While the sale of the women`s team effectively addressed immediate PSR concerns ahead of the June 30 deadline (according to The Athletic), it was insufficient to prevent sanctions from UEFA for breaches of a different set of financial rules, including the squad cost ratio. Unai Emery`s side reached a settlement with UEFA, agreeing to a fine of approximately £17 million (£20m/€20m) over a three-year period.
Journalist Ben Jacobs confirmed the penalties this week, stating on X: “Breaking: Chelsea, Aston Villa, Barcelona and Lyon are among clubs fined by UEFA`s CFCB First Chamber.” He elaborated that these four clubs “did not comply with the football earnings rule which was assessed for the first time in the 2024/25 season,” based on financial years ending in 2023 and 2024. Settlements were agreed upon:
- Chelsea: Four-year settlement, €80m fine (€20m unconditional), plus an €11m fine for breaching the squad cost rule (above 80%) in 2024. Guaranteed total: €31m.
- Villa: Three-year settlement, €20m fine (€5m unconditional), plus a €6m fine for also breaching the squad cost rule (above 80%) in 2024. Guaranteed total: €11m.
- Barcelona: Two-year settlement, €60m fine (€15m unconditional).
- Olympique Lyonnais: Four-year settlement, €50m fine (€12.5m unconditional).
Aston Villa consistently finds itself struggling to manage spending within the financial guidelines, which hinders their progress towards becoming a successful club on the pitch. This situation raises significant questions about whether these rules contribute to widening the gap between Europe`s established elite and other clubs, potentially forcing teams like Villa to weaken themselves by selling key players simply to remain compliant.
Aston Villa Planning Sale of Right-Back Matty Cash
Among the players the club reportedly wants to offload to raise necessary funds is right-back Matty Cash, who is said to earn £100,000 per week.
Although Cash faced some criticism for his performances last season, he remained a regular under Unai Emery, participating in 38 games across all competitions and starting nearly every match during their European campaign.
According to former Villa scout Mick Brown, who spoke to Football Insider, the club is actively looking to sell Cash this summer with the intention of signing a higher-quality replacement, as they believe the Poland international does not quite meet the required standard for their ambitions.
Brown stated: “Villa are looking to sell Matty Cash this summer. He’s an honest professional, and he’s done well over his time at Villa, but they don’t think he’s good enough for the level they want to play at. They’re still building the side, looking at each position and seeing if they can improve.”
He added: “The manager wants to improve at right-back, and they’ll use money from selling Cash to do it. It could be a busy summer at Villa because there are a few players being linked with moves away, but he’s one they’ve been looking to move on for a while.”
With two years remaining on his current contract, securing a significant transfer fee for the 27-year-old may prove challenging. Aston Villa has been linked with Celta Vigo defender Oscar Mingueza as a potential replacement target.
