This is all correct Dave, but he is on a 5-year contract and is well aware that Villa have transformed his career. I think if we insist on another season he will suck it up.
But I think we probably want to sell him. The SCR settlement we agreed with UEFA is brutal:
Football Earnings Targets: Per the official UEFA Settlement Agreement, Villa's maximum permitted Football Earnings deficit is capped at €5 million for the 2025/26 reporting period, dropping to €0 million for 2026/27
Transfer Balance Restrictions: Under the settlement, Villa are required to maintain a balanced "one-in, one-out" transfer ecosystem. To register any high-profile new players for European competitions, the club must offset squad costs directly through player sales to maintain a positive transfer balance.
The "List A" Transfer Balance RuleUnder the Sporting Disciplinary Measures of their 3-year deal, Villa cannot register any new players on their UEFA "List A" squad for European competition unless the List A Transfer Balance is positive.UEFA defines this specific balance as the mathematical difference between two factors:Cost Savings: The money cleared from the wage bill and amortised transfer costs of outgoing players.New Costs: The combined player salaries, agent fees, and amortised transfer fees of incoming signings.To register a marquee player in the 2026/27 Champions League league phase, the "New Costs" of that individual must be completely offset by the "Cost Savings" of departed squad members
So, to play any new players in Europe, we need to create the headroom through sales, notwithstanding our increased income. I'm not quite sure how we ended up with such a punitive agreement, it's almost as if the game wants to stifle any serious challengers to the established elite.