Aston Villa are teetering on the brink of Premier League survival, with Dean Smith’s side currently just a point above the relegation zone in 17th place. No team in the division has conceded more goals than the Villans’ 47 in 25 top-flight matches, and they have had to deal with catastrophic injuries to vital assets such as summer signings Wesley Moraes and Tom Heaton. Replacing both of those players, along with their summer investment, has placed a huge financial burden on the club, which could reach toxic levels if they make an immediate return to the Championship.
Over the past two transfer windows, Real Madrid are the only club worldwide to have posted a greater spending deficit than the newly-promoted side. In total Aston Villa have spent £143.19m on bringing in 13 players, with Wesley and Tyrone Mings topping the list costing £22.5m and £20.07m respectively. Meanwhile, aside from the increased revenue promotion to the Premier League brings, the West Midlands club have made a meagre £3.6m via the sales of Jonathan Kodjia, who departed to Al Gharafa for £2.7m, and Aaron Tshibola sold to Waasl-Beveren for £900k.
In the course of just one season, Aston Villa have been left with an overall balance sheet that makes grim reading with a loss of £139.59m. Fortunately for Smith’s side, they are not governed by Uefa’s financial fair play system, but they are required to meet the Premier League’s equivalent. The profit and sustainability rules allow sides to lose £15m over a rolling three-year period; however, that total can be increased to £105m if the owner of the club puts in equity investments of £30m a year.
The worrying news that Villa posted the second-largest spending deficit across the globe, comes just three years after the club revealed they had made an £81m loss after their previous relegation to the Championship. In the 2015/16 season, the club’s deficit almost tripled, from £26.6m before they were relegated from the Premier League.
Despite their troubles upon previously being relegated, it appears Villa have thrown caution to the wind by posting a spending deficit of £139.59m. Real Madrid may be able to cope with the loss as the second richest club on the planet, but should Aston Villa go down there will be severe implications.
