Players Aston Villa might have to sell to avoid PSR punishment

Reports have emerged that Aston Villa will need to generate funds via players sales before 30th June to avoid falling foul of the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.

PSR implores teams to lose no more than £105m over a three-year period, but Villa have lost around £205m in the last two years, spending vast sums of money on player acquisition and wages.

Villa broke even in the 2021/22 season with the £100m sale of Jack Grealish, but their spending has been significantly accelerated since. In the last three years they've signed the likes of Diego Carlos, Jhon Duran, Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres, Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen for more than £400m, though that has been partially offset with the departures of Duran, Diaby, Douglas Luiz and others, bringing nearly £250m back into the club this season.

Their wage bill, which is the sixth highest in the Premier League, saw them also pay bonuses to their squad for UEFA Champions League qualification, adding to their outgoings, and while a return to Europe's top table this season has boosted revenues, it's unlikely they'll be back there next season.

They're also hampered somewhat by their stadium size. What used to be an impressive 42,918-seater Villa Park is now dwarfed by the likes of Tottenham, Manchester City, West Ham and Liverpool's stadiums, who have all recently expanded or moved to bigger venues.

A more pressing issue is that Villa's wages as a proportion of turnover were around 91% last season; a figure that will not just see them likely break profit and sustainability rules, but struggle to run their club in the long term without making significant changes.

Villa are increasing revenues elsewhere, but not quickly or significantly enough to avoid needing to sell players quickly.

Below, we look at who the Villans may be forced to offload this summer.

Morgan Rogers

Perhaps the first player on the list for Villa to consider making a sizeable dent in their recent losses is Morgan Rogers. Still only 22, Rogers is young, English, Premier League proven and one of the hottest prospects in the Premier League.

With 16 goal contributions this term it's perhaps unfair to refer to Rogers as a prospect, but with so little game time under his belt at the top level, he may still have plenty of development to do.

Rogers is understandably being eyed by a number of top English clubs, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that Liverpool and Chelsea have shortlisted the forward.

He's a player Villa will be desperate to keep hold of, but if they want to generate a quick and substantial profit, Rogers may need to be moved on.

Ollie Watkins

PSR aside, it may be time for Ollie Watkins to look elsewhere. The form of Jhon Duran early in the season saw Watkins battling for minutes, and the arrival of Marcus Rashford saw him lose his place in the side before Rashford's injury.

Watkins declared in the past how he'd love to one day play for Arsenal, who made a move for the Villa striker in January, though the £40m bid was quickly rejected.

Arsenal desperately need a new centre forward in the summer, and while Viktor Gyokeres looks to be their top target, other clubs may take a look at Watkins.

Boubacar Kamara

Make no mistake, the sale of Boubacar Kamara would be a huge blow to Aston Villa, and the club would be very reluctant to sell. Recent reports suggest the club are actually trying to extend Kamara's contract, but the Frenchman is already amongst the club's highest earners and would likely command an even bigger salary.

Since returning from his ACL injury, Kamara has been a crucial part of Unai Emery's midfield, but a host of top European clubs are reportedly interested, including Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Inter.

Kamara may be hesitant to sign a new deal if Villa miss out on the UEFA Champions League with bigger clubs sniffing around, and the club may have their hand forced.

Liam Williams

• Aston Villa F.C.
• Premier League
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