June 11, (THEWILL) – Nassef Sawiris, the owner of Aston Villa Football Club, has admitted that he is seeking legal advice over potential action against the English Premier League concerning its Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). The Egyptian billionaire’s revelation comes in the wake of Villa reporting an annual loss of £119.6 million after tax, raising concerns about the club’s compliance with the PSR regulations.
The PSR rules limit EPL teams to a total loss of £105 million over any three years. Aston Villa, who finished an impressive fourth in the EPL standings last season, proposed raising the allowed losses to £135 million, but their request was rejected by the league’s governing body.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Sawiris argued that the PSR has made it more challenging for clubs like Aston Villa to compete with the wealthiest sides in the League. “Some of the rules have resulted in cementing the status quo more than creating upward mobility and fluidity in the sport,” he claimed, adding, “The rules do not make sense and are not good for football.”
Sawiris further criticised the PSR, stating: “Managing a sports team has become more like being a treasurer or a bean counter rather than looking at what your team needs. It’s more about creating paper profits, not real profits. It becomes a financial game, not a sporting game.” While the PSR threshold remains unchanged, the EPL has announced a trial of a new financial system, which, if successful, could replace the current regulations for the 2025/2026 season.
The new process will see clubs given a spending cap tied to the bottom side’s TV and broadcasting income. Aston Villa secured a UEFA Champions League spot for the upcoming season through their fourth-place finish.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
