Tony’s Statement.

[paul_e]

I don't see the point in making a statement on Bruce's future. As we speak, he's our manager. If anything changes, we'll know about it.

The owner came out with a statement after the final with comments such as sustainable future etc. which would give rise to fans' thoughts on cost cutting and a change in strategy. The main costs are related to players and the coaching/management team, so an update on the statement to clarify the positions should be expected to stop rumours, particularly after the financial issues last week.

Some of the coaching team and players have gone anyway. If they're not making a change on the managerial front, then I don't see why they should come out and say it until the situation changes. Just my view anyway.

I did say (yesterday) that they only need to say something if they've made a decision and I stand by it, If he is going to leave they need to get on with it, if not I think it would be a good idea to come out with something because last time we had a 'will they, won't they' summer with a manager he ended up walking away 5 days before kick off.  My preference doesn't really matter but with the talk about Leeds and mention that he might walk away over the budget something should be said one way or the other before long.

[Clark W Griswold]

I think the general sweeping statement is 'finances have been in a mess to the point of us recently struggling to pay a bill which could have led to administration, we've sorted that problem and are now looking at ways to push the club forward from here'. I too fail to see any point in elaborating further at this stage and I'm taking it that they're 'on it'. There's obviously a lot of different things going on behind the scenes which are a work in progress. I'm happy to let them get on with it.

[mr underhill]

Tone must have found some coin behind one of the sofa's at Lee Ho Fook's  as Hutton's got a new deal, so that's positive, isn't it?

[kippaxvilla2]

No.

John Percy
Aston Villa are under pressure to raise up to £50 million in player sales over the next two transfer windows, it can be revealed.

Villa manager Steve Bruce is facing the prospect of key stars including Jack Grealish, James Chester and Jonathan Kodjia being sold as the Championship club battle a financial crisis.

Grealish is a target for Tottenham Hotspur, as revealed by Telegraph Sport on June 7, and Mauricio Pochettino is set to test Villa’s resolve with an opening offer of £15m.

Chelsea and West Ham are also interested in the former England under-21 international, and it seems inevitable the homegrown attacker will be sold after Villa’s failure to beat Fulham in last month’s play-off final.

Despite Grealish’s reputation and undoubted ability, it is thought unlikely that Villa will get anywhere near their £40m valuation.

 Steve Bruce looks down
Bruce will lose some key players this summer Credit: Getty Images
Chester, the Wales international defender, is on the radar of Brighton and Stoke and could fetch up to £10m, while Ivory Coast international Kodjia is likely to be coveted by clubs across Europe.

It is understood Villa must bring in a minimum of £40m to ease their financial worries and comply with strict Financial Fair Play regulations for next year.

Villa’s wage bill has been already lowered to around £45m – from just over £60m – after the departure of skipper John Terry and loan players including Robert Snodgrass, Sam Johnstone, Lewis Grabban and Josh Onomah.

But there is still pressure to slash it even further and Villa’s technical director Steve Round was given the news in a meeting earlier this week.

 
Villa’s wage bill has been already lowered after the departure of skipper John Terry Credit: Getty Images
Bruce and Round have accepted the plans and are understood to be keen to stay on and rebuild the club ahead of next season. Some sources have even insisted that the financial picture was expected to be far bleaker.

The EFL will meet with Villa officials next week to discuss their plight and how they plan to operate ahead of their third season in the Championship. Dr Tony Xia, the club’s beleaguered owner, is reluctant to sell up and is exploring ways of sourcing investment.

There was one piece of positive news for Villa on Thursday, however, with defender Alan Hutton agreeing a new 12-month deal despite strong interest from Nottingham Forest.

Hutton has taken a significant pay cut to stay on at Villa, estimated to be £15,000 a week, in a welcome boost for Bruce.

Hutton said: “I’ve definitely found it tough since the Fulham defeat and it hurt me, its taken me time to get to terms with it.

“Everybody’s aim was to get promoted last season and we just faltered at the last step. But we have to look forward now and put it behind us.

“We’re definitely a Premier League team in my eyes and we will be pushing to do that next season. I’m delighted to stay here and I’ve got a special bond with the club.”

[eamonn]

Kippax, quote your sources!

[David_Nab]

So in theory ..

Xia puts 50 mil into club which we spend on players and wages
As our income is not this high this then counts as a loss so we then need to retrieve this spending by selling players ,so we bring in 50 mil from sales which has to cover to losses but Xia doesn't want it back does this mean we just sit here with 50 mil we can't spend ?

[Rotterdam 82]

An interesting snippet from Daniel Ivery on SHA

"Meanwhile, In China...

Tony Xia has finally relinquished control of one of his listed companies, Recon Cable - and they've almost gone bust.

[finance.sina.com.cn]

House of cards falling apart... "

[dave.woodhall]

An interesting snippet from Daniel Ivery on SHA

"Meanwhile, In China...

Tony Xia has finally relinquished control of one of his listed companies, Recon Cable - and they've almost gone bust.

[finance.sina.com.cn]

House of cards falling apart... "

Not that they're in the slightest bit obsessed with us. Oh no.

[Rotterdam 82]

There can be no doubt about their obsession but I have tremendous respect for Dan and his ability to report things from China that have generally proved to be accurate.

[mr underhill]

I'm in the 'don't ask me nothin' about nothin' - i might just tell you the truth' camp.

[cheltenhamlion]

Xia sold his stake in Recon to a family member some time back. 

[pauliewalnuts]

The only way to start to rebuild is going to be to get free of this chancer.

He is clearly not a billionaire by any stretch of the imagination.

I trust him about as far as I can throw him.

[Ads]

Why's he clearly not a billionaire?

[Clark W Griswold]

So Grealish, Kodjia and Chester should take care of most of that £50m. Leave the rest till Jan. Clutching at straws a bit here but Kodjia was barely involved last season, Grealish was only great from mid/end of Jan onwards. The loanees - Onomah was largely gash, Grabban only came in January, Tuenzebe hardly played, but obviously Johnstone and Snodgrass will be a miss along with Terry and Chester. I'm also thinking that the some of this £50m might be for reinvestment in new players (although probably not much), and we also have Hogan and Lansbury that we could sell. I think we'd need a GK, centre backs and a striker. Really clutching at straws but could McCormack and Richards finally start earning their money to cover 2 of those roles?

[ajmant]

In answer to that last point about Richards and McCormack. No