All the latest Aston Villa news as BirminghamLive analyses the future of young midfielder Tim Iroegbunam as clubs continue to balance their financial accounts
As Premier League clubs strive to adhere to profitability and sustainability requirements (PSR), Aston Villa may be able to capitalize on yet another indigenous star.
Teams in the English Premier League were required to submit their most recent financial statements by December 31. A determination regarding any possible rule violations was made two weeks later. Villa escaped any problems, but Everton and Nottingham Forest were later prosecuted for their losses over a three-year period.
Even though clubs escaped punishment this time, they will keep an eye on their spending throughout the course of the following year in an effort to prevent situations similar to the ten-point deduction the Toffees received earlier in the campaign. Sales of quality junior products that have advanced through their various academies have been one way for clubs like Villa, Chelsea, and Manchester City to balance their books during the three-year term.
Players like Finn Azaz, who just joined Middlesbrough, Jack Grealish, Carney Chukwuemeka, Cameron Archer, Jadon Philogene, Aaron Ramsey, and others have left Villa. Those are all transactions that bring in a big profit for the team because of the low or nonexistent price they had to pay for the players who were nurtured in the academy.
Tim Iroegbunam, a midfield player, has been rumored to leaving the club, thus Villa may be ready to cash in on their next prospect. Villa are ‘open’ to selling the defensive midfield player permanently, according to Darren Witcoop of the Mirror. The player spent the previous season on loan at Queens Park Rangers.
After paying an unknown price to join Villa from nearby rivals West Bromwich Albion in 2021, Iroegbunam, then 20 years old, flourished in the U23 team before former manager Steven Gerrard gave him his first-team debut. Iroegbunam has since seen few opportunities with the first team, even though he was on the bench eight times this season and made just one appearance in the 2023–2024 campaign.
First team minutes have been hard to come by because Douglas Luiz, Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, John McGinn, and Leander Dendoncker are now ahead of Iroegbunam in the club’s pecking order. Despite the potential these young players have showed, as demonstrated by the transfer departures of Archer and Philogene, Villa will always be willing to let go of academy products if they are not contributing significantly to the squad, especially if doing so will help them financially in the long run.
Like Ramsey, Archer, and Philogene, the England U20 international has demonstrated throughout his tenure at Loftus Road that he is capable of making a significant contribution. After making an impression in matches against Norwich City and Brighton & Hove Albion, he signed a new long-term contract with Villa back in 2022. As a result, Villa is expected to fetch a good price for any prospective sale they decide to pursue.
