Aston Villa: Record-breaking £40m behind-the-scenes deal agreed at Villa Park

Aston Villa have agreed a £40million shirt sponsorship deal with Greek online sports betting platform Betano, the biggest in the club's history, according to the Telegraph.

The newspaper reported via its website [21 March] that the company will pay £20million per year for a two-year deal starting next season.

This comes alongside the agreement with Adidas which also begins next season, which will see the sportswear brand manufacture Villa's kits for the first time.

Aston Villa agree a record-breaking deal at Villa Park

However, controversy could emerge as a result of the sponsorship, with several Premier League clubs looking to move away from front-of-shirt betting sponsors ahead of a ban which comes into play in 2026 - hence the two-year deal.

This, as well as the Adidas deal, have come as a result of the criticism of Castore earlier this season, and the club's president of business operations, Chris Heck, helped to oversee both new deals.

Given the ongoing financial uncertainty at Villa, the emergence of a record-breaking sponsorship deal could do the club a world of good with more money coming in meaning they can afford to spend more on incoming transfers.

It could be a busy summer at Villa Park both behind the scenes and in the public eye, with the likes of Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey linked with transfer moves away from the club when the transfer window opens.

In other Aston Villa news, Paul Merson has rubbished Watkins' England chances.

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