It’s no secret that Premier League footballers are among some of the most well-paid athletes on the planet.
The astronomical salaries dished out comprise a large part of a club’s outgoing costs.
Profit and sustainability are the new buzzwords in modern-day football. Richard Masters and the Premier League are trying to implement a new system to manage sustainability. However, recent proposals are being met with mixed reviews.
According to The Daily Mail, seven Premier League clubs refused to back the introduction of associated party transaction rules (APT).
Despite several clubs against the concept, APT rules will appear after passing the vote. According to Sky News, the rules are intended to ensure a level playing field among English football’s elite teams by preventing clubs from signing commercial deals at inflated prices.
Now, UEFA have released their European Club Finance report, which displays some worrying statistics for Aston Villa.
Aston Villa: Urgent change required after finance report release
Per Matt Lynch on X, 70 per cent of Villa’s revenue is spent on wages, the highest in Europe.
For context, Tottenham’s is only 32 per cent. That’s a massive percentage of Villa’s total income spent on players’ wages.
On average, player wages take up around 49 per cent of revenue. Therefore, something needs to change at Villa Park.
The current wage structure compared to revenue is unstainable. Other streams of income are required to lower that figure.
For example, improving kit and merchandise sales, which isn’t in the top 20 in Europe at present.
Furthermore, the wage figures have placed even more importance on achieving Champions League football. Improved commercial opportunities will emerge if the club can enter Europe’s most lucrative competition.
Diversification in other revenue streams needs to occur. Otherwise, this issue could become significant in the coming years.
For now, Villa’s owners are providing Unai Emery and the board with as much support as possible, and Champions League qualification could completely change the revenue outlook at Villa Park.
Looking to the likes of Tottenham and Manchester City could be a smart move. Both clubs have multiple revenue streams, potentially allowing them to comply with any new rules introduced by the Premier League.
