Premier League probe Aston Villa’s £56m stadium sale

ASTON VILLA’S sale of their ground to a company controlled by the club’s owners has yet to be signed off by the Premier League, raising the prospect that they could follow Derby and Sheffield Wednesday in being charged as a result of the controversial accounting practice.

Sportsmail has learned that the Premier League are still seeking independent valuations for Villa Park, which was sold for £56.7million last

May to NSWE Stadium Limited — a contentious deal which, if approved, should enable them to comply with the EFL’s profit and sustainability (P&S) rules. Villa were in the Championship for the three-year accounting period in question between 2016 and 2019, but the matter was passed on to the Premier League after they were promoted last May. It is understood that the Premier League have yet to authorise the sale eight months on, and are still investigating the valuation and the terms of the lease-back deal between NSWE Stadium Limited, owned by Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, and the club. Sawiris and Edens bought a majority stake in Villa in 2018. The Premier League’s P&S regulations are loosely aligned with the EFL’s, which prevent clubs from recording losses of more than £39m over a threeyear period. Premier League Rule E.54 states that any commercial deal ‘arising from a related party transaction’ must be ‘recorded in the club’s annual accounts at a fair market value’. Villa are confident that the stadium sale will be signed off and are baffled as to why the inquiries are still ongoing. If charged and found guilty Villa could be hit with a points deduction, although the

Premier League have not brought in the fixed tariff for overspending that is in operation in the EFL, who can dock clubs up to 12 points plus a further nine if a breach is deemed to be aggravated. Villa Park was sold for £56.7m, much less than the £80m Derby banked for the sale of Pride Park, valued by the EFL at around £49m. Reading are also being investigated by the EFL after selling the Madejski Stadium to the Renhe Sports Management

Company for £26.5m this year. The Premier League’s investigation is due to be completed before the end of the season, with the authorities anxious to ensure it does not impact on the relegation battle. Villa are also in danger of breaching the Premier League’s more liberal spending limits, and as

Sportsmail revealed last month they may have to sell players in the summer. The Premier League and EFL declined to comment. . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY ORIGINAL COPY