Sources: Aston Villa to hold senior player firesale
By Pete O’Rourke
Aston Villa will continue to trim their squad despite rejecting a bid from Reading for winger Leandro Bacuna, Football Insider sources understand.
Reading have had a £1.5million offer turned down by the Midlands giants for Bacuna and have decided to abandon their pursuit of the player.
A Villa source has told Football Insider that the club are set to cash in on more senior players following the sales this week of centre-back Nathan Baker to Bristol City and midfielder Jordan Veretout to Fiorentina.
Villa chiefs are aware of the need to comply with financial fair play regulations that govern the Championship.
According to the new rules, Villa can lose up to £83million in three seasons without being penalised. But their last accounts show a deficit of £81.3m alone and unless spending is reduced drastically, the club could be hit hard.
Villa had to make a submission to the Football League in March and are now bringing their house in order.
But that action has had a knock-on effect for manager Steve Bruce even though he has signed midfielder Ahmed Elmohamady and veteran defenders John Terry and Christopher Samba this summer.
The Football League has been criticised in the past for failing to take appropriate action against the likes of QPR and Leicester who were both caught out by Financial Fair Play after incurring heavy losses.
The only action available was a fine. But now sanctions are open-ended. Points can be docked or, worse still, promotion to the Premier League can be denied.
Bacuna featured for Villa in their pre-season goalless draw against Watford on Saturday, replacing the injured Jack Grealish in the 26th minute.
The Curacao international made 31 appearances last season as Villa ended a wretched campaign in 13th place.
Bacuna joined Villa from Dutch side Groningen in 2013 and has since featured 130 times for the club, scoring eight goals.
In other Aston Villa news, this first-team star has been rushed to hospital after injuring himself in the 0-0 draw with Watford on Saturday.