Aston Villa are now in constant contact in the race to sign a La Liga contract rebel, who is set to be available for a bargain price this summer.
After recent stutters, the Premier League dream may be over for Aston Villa, but European qualification is still very much on. The Midlands club hold a comfortable eight-point buffer on sixth-place Liverpool, with fifth-place likely to be enough to earn Champions League football thanks to England’s coefficient ranking.
That should help ease their financial concerns, too. Unai Emery and others have been very vocal in the past with issues around PSR, but Champions League qualification for the second time in three years should certainly do no harm.
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The Foxes are now only outside of the relegation zone on goal difference.
That could yet lead to a permanent deal for Jadon Sancho this summer. Emery recently spoke to reporters about whether he has an answer about the winger’s future after his loan spell this season, dubbing the winger a “fantastic” player.
“Not yet, but he is a fantastic player. Hopefully he can help us by increasing his qualities in our structure like he is doing.
“He will need another contract, and maybe it could be here. If he plays his best football, we will want him. But also other teams could be involved in the interest for him.
“This is football and matches are all important for every player and the club’s future, how we can achieve our objective.”
Sancho may yet become one of the club’s first summer transfer targets if he finds his best form, and he’s unlikely to be the only name on their radar.
Recent reports have even claimed that the Villans are interested in a shock move for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White as well as Oscar Mingueza.
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The Villans could hijack Newcastle’s move.
According to reports in Spain, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are in constant contact over a deal to sign Mingueza, who is currently on course to become a free agent in the summer.
Mingueza deal suits Aston Villa’s PSR needs
Even if Aston Villa qualify for the Champions League this season, there’s still a high chance that they’ll be walking the PSR tightrope.
The introduction of SCR rules (Squad Cost Ratio) means that they’ll only be able to spend 70% of their sporting earnings if they’re playing in Europe’s elite competition. This means that if, for example, a club earns £100m in sporting revenue, they will be able to spend £70m.
For the classic top six clubs – some of the most marketable teams in the world – that won’t be an issue. Their revenues reach staggering numbers. For Villa, it could limit them once again.
That’s why players like Mingueza will be important. The Celta Vigo right-back looks likely to be available as a free agent in the summer, allowing Villa to swoop in without the concern of creeping close to breaking any financial rules.
The player, himself, is also worth the chase. At 26 years old, Mingueza is an ex-Barcelona graduate who is at the peak of his powers in Spain.