Villa ready for major cutbacks to avoid threat of transfer ban
Terry leaves and others may follow due to FFP Owner says promotion failure means changes
Tony Xia, the Aston Villa owner, has confirmed that the club face “severe FFP [Financial Fair Play] challenges” which are expected to lead to a fire sale of players and contracts not being renewed after the failure to gain promotion back to the Premier League.
That has started with John Terry leaving Villa as his one-year, £80,000-a-week deal expires. The former England captain would have been able to trigger a 12-month extension had Villa not lost to Fulham in the Championship play-off final last Saturday.
It remains to be seen whether Terry, who will be 38 in December, continues playing or decides to pursue a coaching career.
The club are going to have to instigate a series of cutbacks to avoid a transfer ban. The futures of play- ers including Jack Grealish, James Chester and Jonathan Kodjia are in doubt, while permanent deals to sign loanees Robert Snodgrass, Sam Johnstone and Lewis Grabban will be scrapped. It is possible Villa may even have to sell their Recon Training Complex.
“We are all aware that we will face severe FFP challenges next season,” Xia said in a statement released on the Villa website, while endorsing the job done by Steve Bruce, the manager. “I am an Aston Villa fan but also a businessman. Under the current circumstances, I think the club needs to rethink not only the past two years but also the past 10 years. Villa needs to be a sustainable football club.”
Ominously, the Chinese businessman added: “People join. People leave. That is the cycle of football. But the football club always remains through it all. This is the ultimate reality that cannot be changed, but I can assure you that everyone behind the scenes is working tirelessly towards achieving our ultimate goal.
“We have been heavily investing for the past two seasons. However, the loss on Saturday means that we need to change a lot of things. No one wanted to see the club have to go through this, but I believe that only changes can help the club to progress towards the positive direction and this requires the joint efforts of everyone associated with this great football club.
“No matter what the changes will be, I sincerely hope that everyone can unite and overcome the challenges together. Our goal has not changed and, as long as we believe, regardless of how tough the process will be, I am sure we will succeed in the end.”