Aston Villa bank £61m to ease FFP concerns as double sale is completed

Aston Villa have confirmed the departure of Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz, as the former Manchester City man completed his move to Serie A side Juventus on Sunday.

Luiz first joined Villa in 2019 and has been a key player under Unai Emery as the Birmingham outfit reached the Europa Conference League last season before clinching four place and a spot in the Champions League for the 2024-25 campaign.

However, Villa have been working to stay in line with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules, with clubs required to get in line with the regulations by June 30 - meaning a big sale was needed before the end of last month. Our sister publication The Express and Star reports that Juventus have paid £42m for Luiz, while Villa have signed Enzo Barrenechea and winger Samuel Iling-Junior for £21m in a separate deal.

A club statement confirmed: “Aston Villa can confirm that Douglas Luiz has joined Juventus. After starting his career with Vasco da Gama in his native Brazil, the midfielder signed for Villa in the summer of 2019. He went on to spend five seasons in claret and blue, helping the club qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League and UEFA Champions League in consecutive seasons. At the end of the 2022/23 campaign, he was also voted the club’s Players’ Player and Supporters’ Player of the Season.

“Luiz made his senior international debut for Brazil during his time at Villa Park, winning a gold medal with his country at the Tokyo Olympic Games. He departs Villa having racked up over 150 appearances for the club.”

Meanwhile, on Saturday it was confirmed that Omari Kellyman had joined Chelsea with a fee reported to be £19m. It means Villa have banked £61m over the weekend in order ahead of the June 30 deadline for accounts being in line with Profit and Sustainability. In March the club had announced a record loss of £119.6m.

Kellyman said of his switch to Stamford Bridge: “It is fantastic to be standing here as a Chelsea player. It’s a massive club with an amazing history, so it is great to join. It is a dream come true for sure. I’m buzzing to have put on the shirt and can’t wait to get started. I think one of my key characteristics is my confidence. The more confident I feel, the more successful I have been.

“Whether that be coming into new environments and meeting new people or on a football pitch – showing people what I can do and what I am about – I think my confidence has helped me be more successful. I have seen young players stepping into the team and playing week in, week out, in the Premier League and I feel like I will be able to take my opportunity as and when it comes.

“I want to be successful in the Chelsea shirt; to win games and hopefully trophies. [Over time] hopefully, I can become one of the faces on the side of the stadium. I want to become a big player for this club.”