Aston Villa hit by brutal transfer reality with Unai Emery blocked from spending Jacob Ramsey's £40m transfer fee over UEFA financial rules

Aston Villa are struggling to hand Unai Emery fresh transfer funds this window even if they sell Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle. 

Ramsey was closing in on a move to St James’ Park on Thursday after Villa accepted an offer worth about £40million for their homegrown midfielder.

Yet Mail Sport understands that the possible sale is unlikely to boost Villa’s position in the market, with the summer window due to close on September 1.

In July, Villa were fined £9.5m for breaching UEFA’s financial rules. From 2025, clubs involved in European competition will be allowed to spend only 70 per cent of their revenues on player-related costs, such as salaries. In UEFA’s latest analysis, Villa were found to have a ‘squad cost ratio’ of between 80 and 90 per cent.

It is unclear whether further departures would alter Villa’s position, though Daily Mail Sport understands they have no intention of selling star players like attacker Morgan Rogers or captain John McGinn.

Rogers has attracted interest from Chelsea this summer but Villa have held firm and are likely to offer the England international a new deal in the coming weeks. McGinn is also set to receive improved terms.

Villa’s priority in this window has been to secure their key men on new contracts. Boubacar Kamara and Lucas Digne re-signed earlier in the summer and along with Rogers and McGinn, there may also be negotiations with Youri Tielemans, Matty Cash and Pau Torres.

Meanwhile, are increasingly hopeful that Morgan Rogers will be fit for Saturday’s Premier League opener against Newcastle.

The forward, a contender for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, damaged his ankle in a pre-season friendly against Roma on August 6 and did not feature in the preparation games against Marseille and Villarreal.

But Rogers has been involved in training this week and confidence is growing that he will be ready for the clash with Eddie Howe’s team at Villa Park.

Rogers, 23, was one of the breakout stars of the last Premier League campaign, hitting double figures for goals and assists in all competitions, and breaking into the senior England squad.