Aston Villa will need to find around £40m-£45m from player sales and wage cuts to fall in line with Financial Fair Play, Birmingham Live understands.
A football finance expert has explained how Villa’s failure to win promotion back to the Premier League this term has left them seriously counting the cost this summer.
The claret and blues may have to sell prized asset Jack Grealish to cover costs and there’s no chance of turning any of the loan signings into permanent deals.
“The FFP black hole is between £40m and £45m,” a source told us.
“Villa have gambled with expensive players on big wages but there will need to be a reality check this summer.”
Boss Steve Bruce admitted that cuts will need to be made.
When asked if players would be sold, Bruce replied:
“Yes.
“This season has been difficult, financially.
“We understand, or I have understood, about Financial Fair Play.
“But the discussions will need to be held above me to say what we have or haven’t got.”
The powers-that-be are in the process of holding those talks.
Meanwhile another expert says Aston Villa’s predicament is ‘really severe’ and has predicted sales this summer.
Villa were resigned to a third successive season of Championship football with defeat at Wembley.
Bruce’s expensively-assembled squad is now expected to be broken up this summer as the club desperately attempt to stay within Financial Fair Play restrictions.
The club’s most valuable asset, Grealish, is already being linked with a host of Premier League sides with Villa likely to sell at least one of their top players.
Kieran Maguire, a lecturer in football finance at the University of Liverpool, discussed Villa’s problems at length with the BBC.