Aston Villa set to follow Chelsea's lead by selling women's team to avoid PSR breach

The Telegraph report Villa are planning to sell 10% of the team, worth £5.5m, to an external investor, with the remaining 90% to be bought by the club's own parent company, controlled by Nassef Sawiris. The sale would help raise the funds necessary to satisfy the Premier League's rules without selling a first-team player, a move Chelsea have also used in the past.

Villa are also looking at selling other club assets in order to raise the funds they need. One of those options is "The Warehouse", the club's music and event space outside Villa Park. The building could have a potential value of £50m if it can be sold. Though the accounting deadline is Monday June 30, a sale need only be agreed in principle to be accounted for in 2024/25.

UEFA's financial rules do not allow for the sale of other assets like the women's team and "The Warehouse" to be included. Clubs in European competition are compelled to keep spending on transfer fees and wages at 70% of revenue, and Villa have reportedly agreed a plan with UEFA to bring their ratio down by 10% in each of the next two years.

Villa may still have to sell a player this summer in order to be certain of satisfying UEFA's demands. Emiliano Martinez has been linked with Manchester United, while Morgan Rogers is fancied by Arsenal.