Aston Villa ‘set for naughty step’ as new deadline hours away
Aston Villa could end up on the “naughty step” as details of their financial behaviour have been revealed.
Profit and Sustainability Rules, alongside Financial Fair Play have become common terms among football fans in recent years, and they are starting to become more in tune with the decisions that the teams they support make from that perspective.
What used to simply be done behind the scenes is now a major issue that can have serious consequences, which is something that Villa will be attempting to avoid.
Unai Emery is currently trying to guide his men to a Champions League and FA Cup double, while the squad are performing well in the Premier League too.
However, there is now a financial situation looming over the Villans that must be addressed imminently.
Aston Villa use delay tactics
By the end of Monday (31 March) a plethora of Premier League clubs are due to file their financials, allowing them to be analysed and scrutinised.
Villa are among the eight teams that must do that along with Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Luton Town, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United and Tottenham Hotspur.
However, financial expert Kieran Maguire has shared on X (31 March) that the “naughty step awaits” those teams, as clubs have used a variety of delaying tactics to try and push the submission date back.
| Upcoming Aston Villa fixtures | Date |
| Brighton vs Aston Villa (Premier League) | 2/4/25 |
| Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest (Premier League) | 5/4/25 |
| PSG vs Aston Villa (Champions League) | 9/4/25 |
Some just opt to pay the fine as hold fans are in contempt from a transparency perspective, but it will remain to be seen how Villa proceed.
Aston Villa cannot afford unnecessary slip-ups
The Premier League has been cracking down on the financial side of the game in recent seasons, and Villa are in the middle of a transitional period where they are attempting to break out as the next big side in the division.
This has led to several impressive transfers, but more will be needed if they want to continue fighting and competing on all fronts.
Emery will not want to risk his team going backward, therefore, it’s crucial that everything is solved from a financial perspective to ensure that they can provide the Villa boss with more money to strengthen the squad even further in the summer.