Fair play fears
XIA MUST PAY TAX BILL
MGN Ltd does not endorse and has no responsibility or liability for products, services or any other matter advertised on these pages. Readers are firmly advised to take legal, financial or other appropriate advice before entering into any commitment in connection with a published advertisement. ASTON VILLA’S decisionmakers are holding crunch talks in the next 24 hours over the on-going crisis.
Owner Dr Tony Xia will host a conference call from Beijing with the aim of finding a solution to the financial problems that have brought the former European champions to their knees.
Listening on in London will be fellow director Tracy Gu, technical director Steve Round, chief commercial officer Luke Organ and Rongtian He – Xia’s executive assistant.
High on the agenda will be swingeing cuts to the playing budget, manager Steve Bruce’s future and the club’s saleable assets – including Jack Grealish.
Xia is expected to sanction a reduction of the wage bill by one-third – as bare minimum – with player sales likely.
But of more pressing concern is the next payroll and an HMRC payment of around £4.5million that is due on June 22.
Penalty
A BID by the Championship’s bigspenders to rewrite the rules on Financial Fair Play has been squashed.
Several clubs want the current £39million ceiling on any losses incurred over the past three years to be raised.
But the proposal won the backing of just six clubs at talks two weeks ago ahead of this week’s annual meeting of the EFL in Portugal.
The Championship’s high rollers are fearful of new penalties – including possible points deductions – which are set to be handed down for the first time under new, tougher rules.
Once club accounts are signed off at the end of this month, a new panel will sit to examine the figures before any sanctions are announced. GARY ROWETT insists he will have the final say on transfers at Stoke City.
The new Potters chief has reacted to the criticism that has overwhelmed the club since their relegation from the Premier League.
He said: “I do think that the club made an awful lot of good signings. However, when you have a season that ends negatively, people focus on those negatives.
“But no player will come into the club that I don’t want.”