Apart from Martinez, another Aston Villa star now in talks to join elite club, may go for cheap fee
Aston Villa Under Pressure to Sell Key Players Amid PSR Constraints
Aston Villa are facing a pivotal summer as they prepare to offload players in order to remain compliant with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Manager Unai Emery could be forced to part ways with some key figures in his squad as the club attempts to balance its books before the looming financial deadline.
According to a detailed report from The Athletic, Villa must generate at least £15 million in player sales before July 1, when the new football financial year begins. This figure is crucial to ensuring the club avoids any potential sanctions for breaching PSR regulations. While the high-profile sales of Moussa Diaby and Jhon Duran have already made a significant contribution toward this goal, and the club’s impressive Champions League quarter-final run reportedly brought in another £70 million, Villa still find themselves on the edge of compliance.
Behind the scenes, the club’s president of football operations, Monchi, is said to be working tirelessly to orchestrate a major outgoing transfer before the June 30 deadline. Football Insider claims that one of Villa’s most valuable assets, World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, could be the marquee name to make way. The Argentine has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United, and reports suggest he would welcome the switch to Old Trafford. Such a deal could represent the decisive sale Villa needs to close their PSR gap.
But Martínez is not the only high-profile player whose future is uncertain. Midfielder Youri Tielemans, who only joined Villa last summer, and Everton’s Amadou Onana — currently on Villa’s radar and also potentially involved in financial manoeuvring — are among other names mentioned as possible departures. With time running out, the club may be forced to consider all options, including parting with regular starters to stay within regulatory boundaries.
This situation has sparked debate about the fairness and practicality of the current PSR system. Critics argue that the rules disproportionately affect clubs outside the traditional ‘big six,’ forcing them to offload top talent and limit their ambitions just to remain compliant. Aston Villa, a club that has been aggressively building under Emery and their ambitious owners NSWE, now finds itself in the uncomfortable position of needing to sacrifice squad strength in order to avoid financial penalties.
One player who could be sacrificed as part of this financial reshuffle is experienced left-back Lucas Digne. The 31-year-old French international is currently attracting serious interest from La Liga giants Atlético Madrid. Digne, who made 45 appearances for Villa in all competitions during the 2024/25 season, was in and out of the starting lineup toward the end of the campaign but remains a valuable and experienced asset.
Reports from Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey indicate that Atlético have begun talks with Digne’s representatives and are preparing an initial offer in the region of £8 million. However, Villa are holding out for closer to £10 million, as they aim to squeeze every possible penny out of potential deals to ease their PSR concerns. With Digne’s current contract set to expire in summer 2026, and his £120,000-per-week wages a considerable financial commitment, a sale could provide both a short-term cash boost and long-term wage relief.
Negotiations between Digne and Atlético Madrid are said to be ongoing, and a transfer could be completed before the crucial June 30 deadline. If successful, this would represent another step toward Villa achieving financial compliance while simultaneously weakening the depth of Emery’s squad ahead of a season in the Europa League — a competition far less lucrative than the Champions League they narrowly missed out on.
Ultimately, Villa’s situation serves as a stark reminder of the balancing act many clubs must perform under PSR regulations. As they aim to compete with the Premier League’s elite, they’re simultaneously required to sell off valuable players to avoid breaching financial limits — a paradox that raises questions about the long-term impact of current financial governance on competitive balance in English football.
For now, Aston Villa must navigate the delicate task of generating funds without compromising too much of their on-field ambitions — a task that will test both Monchi’s strategic vision and Unai Emery’s squad management in
the weeks to come.