Aston Villa charge: UEFA twist emerges with new regulations nearly in place
Aston Villa are facing strict UEFA regulations as they continue to shine in the Champions League, Dan Plumley has said.
UEFA are working under new guidelines to bring the squad cost ratio down to 70 per cent of a club’s turnover, something the Villans were above before the transition period.
Despite this, NSWE managed to bring in Marcus Rashford, Axel Disasi and Marco Asensio in the recent winter transfer window, with Jhon Duran being sold to Saudi Arabia.
Aston Villa face possible future trouble with UEFA
Plumley shared that UEFA are working towards the 70 per cent number by the end of next season, giving Aston Villa and Monchi time.
The finance expert admits that Villa, or any other club, are unlikely to be charged by UEFA during the transition period, alleviating any possible fears.
“It’s in play now,” he exclusively told Villa News.
“We are in a monitoring period now, so by the end of the 2025/26 season, it has to be at 70 per cent of turnover and that is made up of all the player costs.
“So, it’s transfer fees, wages, contract costs, amortisation, agent fees and manager payments, so they will have had to be mindful of that.
“The transition period that we’re in at the minute, UEFA will be looking at an 80 per cent squad cost ratio, so it’s been decreasing to 70 per cent which will become the yardstick.
“Villa will have been having to factor that in behind the scenes as well because they’re in the Champions League and they would fall under that scope, so they’ve got to take it into account but they’ve got another year to get the magic number of 70 per cent.
“Hypothetically, it’s unlikely we would see any club charged while we’re in that transition period, even if the numbers are over.”
Aston Villa to increase turnover at Villa Park
With Aston Villa automatically into the final 16 of the Champions League, this is certainly something that Unai Emery and Monchi will be wary of.
Increasing turnover by succeeding on the big stage will help matters, with the top four race also still open in the Premier League at Villa Park.
Results like the 1-1 draw with Ipswich last time out will need to improve for that to happen, though.