Aston Villa could be forced to sell some of their top earners as the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules close in.
Premier League clubs are meeting later this week to discuss replacing the current Profit and Sustainability Rules with new Financial Fair Play regulations.
At present, top-flight clubs are limited to losses of £105million over a three-year period.
According to Sky Sports, discussions are taking place to implement a new rule system that would align with UEFA’s squad cost ratio system.
The new system would see Premier League clubs limited to 85 per cent of their revenue on squad costs.
Despite the new rules potentially on the way, under the current guise, Aston Villa could be forced to sell some of their top earners in order to comply with the current regulations.
Lucas Digne could exit Aston Villa
One player who could be on his way out is left-back Lucas Digne. The 30-year-old Frenchman was a big-money arrival from Everton in January 2022.
The full-back has made 74 appearances for Villa, scoring three times and registering nine assists.
Digne has featured 19 times during the 2023/24 campaign, starting 18 matches under Unai Emery.
However, according to The Express and Star, the left-back’s future may be “in doubt”. Digne is believed to be one of Villa’s highest earners, and shifting him off the wage bill would certainly aid the club when it comes to Financial Fair Play.
FFP impact on Premier League clubs
Of course, it’s not just Aston Villa who are feeling the constraints of FFP.
Everton have already been hit with a 10-point deduction, although the Toffees are set to learn if their appeal has been successful next week.
Newcastle United’s constraints have also been well-documented, with the Magpies potentially having to sell some of their star players to avoid punishment.
As for Villa, Digne seems like the obvious candidate to depart; an older player with high wages.
Concern will certainly start to heighten if the likes of Douglas Luiz exit, with the Brazilian recently linked with a move away from the West Midlands.
Nicolo Zaniolo is another who is likely to depart. The Express and Star suggest the Italian is highly unlikely to extend his loan spell, with Emery looking to strengthen his squad elsewhere.
