Villa ready to sell players to meet FFP rules, says Bruce
LONDON:
Aston Villa will probably have to sell several of their best players, including midfielder Jack Grealish, to meet Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, manager Steve Bruce has said.
He told Sky Sports News on Monday that Villa, who missed out on a lucrative return to the Premier League when they lost in the playoff final, have no choice but to sell prized assets.
Sky reported that Villa must raise £40mil (RM212.8mil) to comply with FFP rules after last season’s failure to secure promotion from the second tier.
The club faced a winding-up order via the High Court last month until they agreed a payment schedule regarding money owed to British tax authorities.
Villa owner Tony Xia said the club was not for sale but Bruce, who has agreed to stay to help the Midlands outfit through the difficulties, knows players will likely be sold.
“We know what to expect. We don’t want to lose Grealish, (Ivory Coast forward Jonathan) Kodjia and (Wales central defender James) Chester but the inevitability is we might have to so let’s get ready for it,” Bruce said.
Villa owner and chairman Xia wrote an open letter to fans on Friday in which he said: “To be
Aston Villa will probably offload midfielder Jack Grealish (left) to balance the books. — Reuters clear, to meet FFP we need to player “After thinking about it I thought (Grealish) – but people will know trade. No shareholding sale of any the club is in trouble and if ever it that we have got financial problems size will contribute to meeting FFP. needs me, with my experience to and they’ll sit and wait, and wait, till We must reduce costs and increase beg, steal and borrow, then now is (transfer) deadline day (Aug 9) posrevenue.” the time,” he said. sibly.
Former Manchester United “Inevitably that is going to be “I hope that doesn’t happen but defender Bruce, who has managed player sales. There are going to be we’ve got to batten down the hatchnine teams, said he had considered people that I do not want to sell – es and wait for it. And it’s pretty his own position at Villa. and the obvious one is Jack brutal stuff out there.” — Reuters LONDON: Free agent Jack Wilshere (pic) ended his long stay at Arsenal by moving to London rival West Ham.
The 26-year-old England midfielder signed a three-year contract with West Ham, the club said on Monday.
Wilshere, who has 34 senior caps and two goals, was unable to win a place in England’s World Cup squad.
He spent his entire career with Arsenal, apart from loan spells at Bournemouth and Bolton, after joining the Premier League club’s youth system as a nine-year-old. Wilshere’s contract expired last month. — AP