Aston Villa owners stun Wyness with big-money bombshell – ‘hang on a minute’
Aston Villa’s former chief Keith Wyness has claimed owners NSWE are planning a “genuine challenge” in England after voting against spending cap proposals.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Villa Park between 2016 and 2018 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed Villa would have spent “a lot more” if financial restrictions weren’t in place.
On Monday (29 April), Premier League clubs voted in favour of developing plans to introduce a spending cap.
Sixteen clubs backed the proposals, with only Aston Villa, Man City and Man United voting against the plans – and Chelsea abstaining.
The spending cap would limit outlay on transfers, wages and agents’ fees and be anchored to between four and five times the amount the lowest-earning Premier League club receives in TV revenue.
Aston Villa fans ‘will love’ big-money NSWE development, says Wyness
Wyness admitted he was shocked to see Aston Villa vote against introducing the plans.
He told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I must admit, this definitely raised my eyebrows.
“You think: Hang on a minute, they must have plans to spend a lot more money.
“Edens and Sawiris are great owners and they have deep pockets. They’ve now had a taste of success with Unai Emery and the potential Champions League qualification.
“Villa is a great club, and I was honoured to be there for a short time.
“They must have voted against the spending cap because they want to spend a lot more, and Villa fans must be loving that thought.
“They can now strengthen and push on. They’ve got all the infrastructure to become a huge club again.
“They can genuinely challenge and if they get the right squad next season, there’s no reason why they couldn’t. Perhaps that’s what the owners are thinking.”
In other news, Aston Villa boosted in bid to sign midfield star.
For more Aston Villa and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.