Aston Villa are looking to retain key stars to avoid coming into conflict with PSR regulations, and could have hatched a crafty plan to retain key man Emiliano Martinez, according to a report.
Aston Villa looking to build squad depth under Unai Emery
Unai Emery has done a job to be proud of at Villa Park this season that looks likely to end in some form of continental qualification, but he may be left with food for thought ahead of the summer.
Despite their rude financial health, Aston Villa are at the centre of a PSR storm, and rumours are beginning to do the rounds regarding whether they will have to sell a star player or two to avoid an overspend.
Some will argue the Villans are at an unfair disadvantage compared to the traditional ‘big six’ when it comes to transfer leeway, while others can’t help but point out their wage-to-revenue ratio as a counterpoint.
Nevertheless, Aston Villa appear undeterred by recent noise and are pursuing Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin as a potential arrival to supplement an engine room brimming with talent.
By the same token, Las Palmas star Alberto Moleiro is another talented star on Emery’s list. The Spaniard is believed to have personally requested that he is brought in amid a £51 million release clause in his contract.
Related
Besiktas now willing to sell “dynamic” star as Aston Villa eye summer swoop
The Villans could finally get their man.
Still, the lingering question of sales has created an unwanted tension among supporters with the window around the corner, which could be magnified if Aston Villa fail to claim Champions League qualification.
However, there could be light at the end of the tunnel following news that there is now a crafty plan in motion to prevent a headline-grabbing departure.
Aston Villa set to put quartet up for sale
According to The Athletic, Aston Villa are set to put Emiliano Buendia, Alex Moreno, Leander Dendoncker and Kaine Kesler-Hayden up for sale to prevent having to part ways with Emiliano Martinez this summer.
The quartet are out on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, Nottingham Forest, Anderlecht and Preston North End respectively, and are not expected to feature as part of Emery’s plans moving forward in the West Midlands.
Martinez is reported to earn £150,000 per week, signifying that his wages would be protected with a little to spare as Aston Villa would be saving around £6m every year if they were to successfully offload the four players mentioned.
Of course, shifting spare parts doesn’t come easy, but NSWE’s strong negotiation skills are likely to come in handy when fielding interest from suitors.
While speculation continues to linger, Aston Villa supporters can take some peace of mind from the fact that they are now likely to retain arguably their most important asset in the summer window.
