Aston Villa faced a precarious financial situation this summer that nearly jeopardized their Premier League status.
With the club staring down a £25 million deficit just as the Premier League’s financial year-end approached, urgent action was needed to avoid disaster. The solution was selling one of their key players.
On June 30, just hours before the critical deadline, Aston Villa finalized the sale of Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £42 million.
This move was crucial in averting a potential ten-point deduction, which could have had a severe impact on their upcoming season.
Unai Emery’s key recruitment figures, sporting director Monchi and Director of Football operations Damian Vidagany, were instrumental in resolving this crisis.
Vidagany described the tense situation, “At the end of the season, we found ourselves in a situation where we had to sell players for profit to avoid being in breach with PSR. From May 20 to June 30 is normally a holiday period in football. It wasn’t for us.”
The team had to find a solution to their financial predicament, all while ensuring that the squad remained competitive for the next season.
Vidagany reflected, “Once that was over, there was a moment when everyone was cheering and celebrating the Champions League. Monchi and I were thinking about how to not spoil this beautiful year by having a points deduction.”
The club faced a dilemma: which player should be sold to balance the books without compromising their competitive edge?
Bidagany noted, “We couldn’t take out one of Unai’s most important players next season. That was the challenge.”
Possible candidates included Ezri Konsa, Leon Bailey, and Luiz. Monchi added, “Another solution was to put Ollie Watkins on the market. It’s an easy one because he’s a top striker. Or sell the best goalkeeper in the world, Emi Martinez, because we also had offers for him.”
While selling Jacob Ramsey could have resolved the issue, the club chose not to pursue that option.
Vidagany recounted the urgency of the situation, “The club’s top officials were all sweating as the countdown towards the deadline got underway. Once Luiz had been identified, it was up to Villa to hold their nerve and get it over the line. Although it was ‘crazy’ as the player was in the United States with Brazil in the Copa America.”
The deal was fraught with complications. Vidagany and Monchi traveled to Italy in late May to secure a pre-agreement.
The final signing took place on June 30, marking a dramatic end to a nerve-wracking process. “We had one sleepless night. Brazil played in Vegas. After the game, they were supposed to go to a hotel where he was to sign the contract. But the national team bosses stopped them going to Vegas because they were scared about the players partying.”
Vidagany described the situation as chaotic, “It was one month after shaking hands with Cristiano Guintoli (Juventus’ sporting director) that the final signing was done. It was up and down. It was the worst market in history because we were so pressured by time, by the weakness we had, and because there were so many actors in the deals.”
In the high-stakes world of football transfers, Villa faced attempts by rival clubs to exploit their vulnerable position.
Vidagany noted, “There was some talk of doing deals with some clubs that would have helped us financially but we were never going to buy a useless player to solve it. There was massive pressure.”
Ultimately, the successful sale of Douglas Luiz salvaged Aston Villa’s financial stability and preserved their Premier League status, allowing them to move forward into the new season with renewed focus.
