Aston Villa

Aston Villa report £119.6m loss for latest accounts

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 05 March 2024

Aston Villa report a substantial £119.6m loss for the 2022-23 campaign, but still expect to fulfil the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability criteria.

Aston Villa have reported a loss of £119.6m for their accounts up to the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

That particular campaign was one of the most successful in the club's recent history, Unai Emery transforming the club from relegation candidates to qualifiers for Europe.

Villa were able to book a place in the Europa Conference League with a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League, but it has been revealed that their books have taken a substantial hit.

The West Midlands outfit have reported a loss of £119.6m, significantly more than the £105m deficit that is permitted across a three-year period.

Wage costs increased from £137m to £194.2m, as did the amortisation of player contracts by as much as £10m, but Villa have stated that they will still pass the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability regulations.

A statement read: "The owners of Aston Villa remain committed to the long-term and sustainable development of the club, and we look forward to continued progress on the delivery of our strategic plan."

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery before the match on March 2, 2024 © Reuters

Despite the concerns over their accounts, Villa still spent big in last summer's transfer window, bringing in the likes of Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby for a combined total of over £83m.

Four more players, including Morgan Rogers for an initial £8m, were acquired in January, but Villa have attempted to atone for that with several departures.

Across the last two transfer windows, over £35m has been raised from the sales of homegrown talent, a method that will lead to pure profit going down in the accounts.

High-earner Philippe Coutinho departing on loan in September was also deemed to be imperative and Villa are in line to boost their financial position with qualification for either next season's Champions League or Europa League.

A top-five finish in the 2023-24 Premier League would also considerably boost the coffers, but work may still need to be undertaken in the transfer market to ensure that they continue to comply with the regulations.

Everton have recently been handed a six-point penalty, reduced from 10 after an appeal, for breaching financial rules, while the Toffees have a further charge hanging over their head alongside Nottingham Forest.