Tom Collomosse
By
Tom Collomosse
- Aston Villa could allow Douglas Luiz and other key stars to before the end of June
- Club want to balance accounts to avoid breaking Premier League spending rules
- Click here to follow Mail Sport’s Euro 2024 WhatsApp Channel for all the latest breaking news and updates from Germany
Douglas Luiz heads a list of players Aston Villa will consider selling this month to ensure they do not break Premier League spending rules.
Villa saw Everton and Nottingham Forest docked eight and four points respectively last season and Mail Sport understands players could leave before June 30 – the cut-off point for the 2023-24 accounting period.
Under the current profitability and sustainability regulations (PSR), top-flight clubs are allowed to lose a maximum of £105million over a three-year period.
Mail Sport revealed on Monday that Villa had sent a proposal to their fellow Premier League clubs, suggesting the limit be increased to £135m and hoping to bring a vote on the matter at the shareholders’ meeting on June 6.
Yet with immediate change unlikely, Villa must look at player sales, with Luiz an obvious candidate.
The Brazilian has two years remaining on his contract and is interesting Juventus, with the Serie A club prepared to offer about £25-30m plus USA international Weston McKennie. Luiz has also attracted strong interest from Arsenal in the past.
Colombian forward Jhon Duran is another who will be allowed to depart for the right offer while midfielder Jacob Ramsey could also move.
Ramsey is homegrown, meaning whatever transfer fee Villa receive would count as pure profit under PSR rules.
Villa will do everything, however, to resist offers for their prize asset Ollie Watkins, who scored 27 goals in all competitions last season.
Villa boss Unai Emery wants to add players for next season’s Champions League campaign, with Ross Barkley set to join on a three-year deal and Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher also of interest. Yet he cannot do so without first balancing the books.