Unai Emery could criticise the financial rules holding Aston Villa back, but instead he is relishing a familiar challenge from earlier in his career in Spain: upsetting the odds.

Since Emery’s appointment , only three clubs - Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal - have collected more Premier League points than Villa.

However, during that time, Villa have been forced to sell players because their revenue streams are not as strong as those of their rivals, who enjoy greater spending power as a result.

The club is navigating two separate sets of financial regulations: the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules and UEFA’s squad cost ratio rules.

Once Jacob Ramsey completes his proposed £40 million move to Newcastle United, Villa will have generated around £285 million in

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