Unai Emery happy with transfer business but FFP an ongoing problem for Aston Villa
Unai Emery has declared himself happy with Villa’s transfer business despite ongoing issues with financial fair play rules dictating a quiet end to the window.
Villa had to ensure they complied with both the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules and Uefa’s cost controls and it is understood the club face further work to balance the books in future windows.
It means a repeat of this summer, when Villa were forced to sell Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £42.5million, cannot be ruled out.
Moussa Diaby also went to Saudi Arabia for £51m later in the window in a deal which helped lower the wage bill and the exits allowed Villa to break their transfer record by splashing out £50m on midfielder Amadou Onana from Everton, while they also paid Chelsea £37.5m for left-back Ian Maatsen.
Emery struck an upbeat tone when assessing how the club had made “intelligent” decisions under the financial restrictions to refresh the playing squad.
“I am very happy, because I think we have good balance,” he said, when asked if his squad was now stronger than last season.
But beneath the surface, it is not hard to detect the frustration of Emery and club officials at rules they believe give an unfair advantage to the established European clubs, who boast significantly bigger revenues.
Emery ideally wanted to recruit another defender and a forward to his ranks. But Villa could not afford Feyenoord right-back Lutsharel Geertruida, without selling centre-back Diego Carlos, while a move for Chelsea’s out-of-favour winger Raheem Sterling was not even considered due to the latter’s £325,000-a-week wages.
Monchi, Villa’s president of business operations and his No.2 Damian Vidagany have essentially been tasked with performing a juggling act, with the club again prepared to go to the limit of the rules to ensure Emery has the best squad possible.
The manager has gotten used to hearing the word ‘no’ with the only activity at Villa on deadline day involving departures. Enzo Barrenechea completed a season-long loan to Valencia, while Leander Dendoncker is expected to spend the campaign at Anderlecht.
Asked if he was in favour of financial fair play, Emery replied: “Financial Fair Play? I don’t understand a lot.
“I am asking, asking (Damian and Monchi) and they are refusing it. ‘We can’t, we can’t’. OK. But I accept it.”
He continued: “The financial fair play for us is difficult. We were planning different scenarios in each moment and choosing one player, refusing to get another.
“But we did everything, trying to intelligent, to make the best decision about how we improve the squad.”