Newcastle United latest news: The Magpies’ Premier League season began with a goalless draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Both Unai Emery and Alan Shearer have slammed the financial rules that are currently preventing both Aston Villa and Newcastle United from realising their lofty ambitions. One of Newcastle and Villa have qualified for the Champions League in each of the last three seasons and neither side has finished below 7th in that time.
However, UEFA’s squad cost rules and the Premier League’s PSR constraints mean that both clubs have to be very cautious in the transfer market, whilst clubs like Manchester United, who finished 15th last season and have no European football of any sort, can continue to financially out muscle them on both transfer fees and wages.
A vocal chant against the Premier League and PSR was heard during Saturday’s goalless draw at Villa Park with both sets of fans uniting, albeit very briefly, to demonstrate their anger at these rules.
Unai Emery and Alan Shearer slam financial rules
Writing in his first matchday programme column of the season, Emery acknowledged Villa’s shortcomings in the transfer market, and put the blame largely at the door of the Premier League and UEFA: ‘As my first message of the season, I would like to thank all the fans that are doing a great effort to get a Season Ticket or come to us this single match. We know it is not easy, we can promise that no one in the club or team us unaware of your sacrifices. We value your support!’ Emery wrote.
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‘We cannot avoid that the summer has been challenging because the financial rules were conditioning our investment in the squad. This is a situation that we knew, we accept with responsibility, and we will overcome trying to work harder and be accurate in our decisions.
‘Financial control rules came to football to avoid bankruptcies and payment defaults, with good purpose. But as professionals we should review it, for this good tool will become a limitation for the clubs that are doing good management, who will never be allowed to dream and get higher goals because the revenue, key for these financial rules, needs time to come to reality after sporting success.’
This sentiment was echoed by Shearer who, speaking on BBC Radio Five Live, said: “PSR doesn't sit easy with me. I don't like it. Look at what Newcastle had to do last year, sell two of their promising youngsters to Brighton and Nottingham Forest to out themselves into this situation.
“You can get to a certain point, like Newcastle and Aston Villa have, where all of a sudden a juggernaut is then in front of you. How do you get past that?
“You look at the top four from last year and what they have gone on to spend. Now look at the position that Villa are in, not being able to spend a lot, Evann Guessand in for around €30m but the sale of Jacob Ramsey will cover that. They are in the situation now that Newcastle were in last season.”
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