PSR seems likely to kill any progress Villa have made in the last few years. For so long, we’ve watched the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and others dominate at the top of the Premier League, while we’ve fought off relegation battles and endured unreliable custodians. Now, just as everything finally feels in place — stability, ambition, Europe — it could all be undone by the constraints of Profit and Sustainability Regulations.
News that Boubacar Kamara hasn’t signed a new contract is a shock. Kamara felt like one of those players we could build around for years to come. Calm, composed, intelligent on the ball — he’s been quietly brilliant for us, and his decision not to commit to the club leaves a bitter taste. I’m not going to take it personally, but as a fan when a player like Kamara, who’s been given a platform to shine here, doesn’t seem to want to be part of what we’re building, then I just don’t know.
Then there’s Emiliano Martinez. If the rumours are true and he’s on the way out, I can’t lie — I don’t want him to go. He’s been a rock for us, a real presence in goal, and a huge personality. But unlike Kamara, I reluctantly understand why he might leave. He’s a World Cup winner, a Champions League-quality keeper, and under the current financial pressure, Villa might not be in a position to say no to a big offer. PSR strikes again — not just limiting what we can do, but forcing us to lose world-class talent.
Now we’re hearing talk of Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana being linked with exits. Tielemans in particular has been one of our most consistent performers. He plays with intelligence, reads the game well, and rarely has a bad outing. Losing a player like him would be a real setback. As for Onana, it’s surprising to even hear whispers about him leaving so soon after arriving. It speaks volumes about the kind of pressure the club is under — that we’re not only entertaining offers, but possibly being forced into them.
Then there’s Leon Bailey. He’s reportedly attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, and interestingly, most Villa fans don’t seem too bothered. Maybe that’s because we’ve never really seen the best of him consistently. Flashes of brilliance, yes, but in truth, he’s never fully lived up to his full potential. Still, letting him go would be another subtraction from a squad that’s been carefully built.
All of this feels like a worrying unraveling of what we’ve built. A wholesale exit of players in one go could seriously harm our momentum going into the next Premier League season. Beyond Martinez and Tielemans — who would perform brilliantly for any team in the world — I do wonder whether some of the others will be exposed as being quite ordinary once they leave. What makes many of these players look good now is the system they’re thriving in, the team that’s been developed around them, and the environment Unai Emery has nurtured. Take that away, and who knows what you’re left with?
It’s frustrating. Just as we finally look like a club with a plan, with quality, and with a real identity, we might be forced to pull it all apart — not because of footballing reasons, but because of finance. And that might be the hardest thing of all to accept. UTV
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