Aston Villa

Unai Emery answers Aston Villa FFP question and explains reason for no new signings

Published

6 months ago

January 12, 2024

Michael Lombardi

Unai Emery admits Aston Villa are working on a one-in, one-out policy during the January transfer window.

Villa have so far completed three deals, all of which have been outgoings.

Ben Chrisene has joined Blackburn Rovers for the remainder of the season, while Kerr Smith joined St. Johnstone on loan and Finn Azaz left permanently to join Middlesbrough for £2.5m.

Villa enjoyed a remarkable first half of the season and could bolster Emery’s squad during this month, but given the difficulty of finding value in the winter window, then the likes of Bertrand Traore and Calum Chambers will have to depart to allow new players to arrive.

Of course, we have to accept the rules and have to accept, for example, if we want to sign someone we have to let one leave from our squad,” Emery explained when asked if the reason for Villa’s lack of signings was due to FFP .

“Then, with Financial Fair Play we will have to accept the rules and how we are.

Progressively, with the owners and our work here, every moment we are having, we are going to increase getting better our demands to improve the squad.

“Now we are second in the table, in the next round of the Conference League and the FA Cup, I believe in our players.

We are playing getting stronger, more comfortable with more confidence.

“Of course, always we are going to try and improve our squad. There are two players, I told you, can leave.

Others maybe can also leave but right now it is not so clear.

With Chambers and Traore, their situation is clear. The possibility to sign players to replace them, we are analysing players to do that.”