Aston Villa set to sell women's team for £60m to avoid PSR breach... with dramatic move helping avoid key player sales before deadline

Aston Villa are close to agreeing a deal to sell their women’s team to a sister company – and ensuring they meet Premier League spending rules for another year.

With June 30 the final day of the 2024-25 accounting period, Villa needed to make a significant sale to ensure they comply with profitability and sustainability regulations. 

Yet instead of moving on one of their main players, it is thought they are close to finalising the sale of their women’s team, which could bring in between £50-60million.

Chelsea took advantage of a similar kink in Premier League rules to sell their women’s team, as well as two hotels, for more than £250m. Earlier in June, the League failed in its bid to prevent clubs selling assets to sister companies in order to comply with its Profitability and Sustainability Rules. 

Last summer, Villa avoided a potential 10-point deduction for breaking PSR because they sold Douglas Luiz to Juventus. It had been feared they would need to sell another key player 12 months later, with Emi Martinez keen to leave the club and Morgan Rogers attracting interest from Arsenal and Chelsea.

But it is thought the transaction involving the women’s team would allow Villa to comply for 2024-25. Fringe players Louie Barry and Kaine Kesler-Hayden may be sold to Hull and Coventry respectively on Monday, but these deals have not been negotiated with PSR in mind.

Villa are also close to agreeing a deal to pay up the contract of Philippe Coutinho, who has not played for the club since August 2023 but earns about £120,000 a week. From Tuesday, they will no longer paying last season’s loan players Marcus Rashford, Axel Disasi and Marco Asensio.

There is still expected to be substantial trading during the remainder of the transfer window as boss Unai Emery tries to strengthen his squad for the new campaign.

Emi Martinez is keen for a new challenge though currently has no firm offers from Premier League clubs, and he is so far reluctant to move to the Saudi Pro League.

Villa would listen to offers for players like Leon Bailey and homegrown midfielder Jacob Ramsey.