Kieran Maguire: Jacob Ramsey sale could solve '£100m' FFP issue at Aston Villa
Aston Villa could solve their Financial Fair Play issues by selling academy player Jacob Ramsey in the summer transfer window.
That is the view of finance expert Kieran Maguire, who exclusively told Football Insider that Villa will no longer benefit from Jack Grealish's £100million sale next season.
Villa endured a quiet January transfer window with no new arrivals for Unai Emery's squad due to their restricted budget.
As revealed by Football Insider, Villa pulled the plug on their plans to sign a striker amid fears they would breach financial rules.
Academy graduate Jacob Ramsey has been linked with a move away from Villa Park with Tottenham and Bayern Munich reportedly interested in his signature.
Maguire believes academy players are now viewed as assets rather than talents due to the profit from their sales.
"Aston Villa spent more than any other club in 2021-22 in terms of transfers," Maguire told Football Insider's Sean Fisher.
"From 2024-25 onwards, the benefits of the Jack Grealish sale, which contributed £100million to their FFP calculations, will drop out of the equation.
"Therefore, they're going to have to box clever in relation to their activity in the summer market.
"Academy players are increasingly being viewed as inventories rather than talent because of the profits that they generate.
"It is one route, but I'm sure it will disappoint fans because there's always that extra special link between the fan base and players who have come through the academy ranks."
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.