‘Aston Villa’s £400m plan suffers major blow’ – fans stunned as exit confirmed
Aston Villa have suffered a significant blow after a high-profile exit has been confirmed at Villa Park.
The West Midlands giants have faced profit and sustainability (PSR) issues over the past couple of years after spending close to the allowable losses limit.
Under the PSR rules, top-flight clubs are only permitted to lose £105million over a rolling three-year period.
Villa posted a club-record revenue in 2023-24 after their turnover increased from £217.7million in 2022-23 to £275.7million, while their losses fell from £119.6million to £85.4million.
Matchday income at Villa Park improved from £18.8million to £28million, with the club’s commercial revenue surging from £46.4million to £63.3million.
Those figures are set to increase substantially this season after Unai Emery’s side reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League before being knocked out by PSG earlier this month.
Aston Villa have banked £100m windfall
Chris Heck has been a driving force behind Villa’s financial success over the past couple of years.
Villa’s president of business operations, who joined the club in May 2023, previously set a target to increase their revenue to £400million by 2027.
That is a realistic possibility if they continue on their current trajectory after finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider Villa have banked around £100million from the Champions League this season.
However, the £400million plan has suffered a major setback after the Midlands side have confirmed Heck will leave his role at the end of this season.
The American has decided to move back to the US and be closer to his family, with Villa now looking to appoint his replacement.
The announcement has come as a surprise to several of the club’s fans.
Some are pleased to see the back of him after he’s faced criticism for increasing ticket prices, while others respect the job he’s done in improving the club’s revenues.
Although Heck’s experience, having spent three decades working in the sports industry, won’t be easy to replace, Villa are a club that’s going places and people will be queuing up to join them.
Aston Villa convinced Marcus Rashford will join PSG
In terms of matters on the pitch, Villa could be set for a further blow this summer in their attempts to sign Marcus Rashford permanently.
Villa Park chiefs are convinced Rashford will join PSG as his future remains up in the air.
Emery’s side agreed a £40million option to buy when they signed the England international on loan from Manchester United in the January transfer window.
| Appearances | 17 |
| Goals | 4 |
| Assists | 6 |
However, any move is dependent on the forward’s approval, and Villa believe Champions League semi-finalists PSG are in pole position to agree a blockbuster deal.
Villa currently sit seventh in the Premier League table, with five Champions League places on offer to top-flight clubs this season.
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