Aston Villa Set to Avoid Punishment Over Finances After Frugal Summer Business

Aston Villa look set to dodge any punishment from the Football League after a mass exodus of players this summer - helping to balance the books a little.

New laws dictate that a club can only make a loss of up to £83m over the space of three seasons, and with Villa heading into the summer market with a loss of £81.3m lingering over their heads, the club were left teetering on the edge of a hefty punishment.

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However, Steve Bruce's economic nous came into effect in the recently closed window, and after raising £18m in player sales, the Telegraph claim that the Championship outfit are set to be in the clear.

The Villans saw the likes of Jordan Veretout, Carlos Sanchez, Nathan Baker and Leandro Bacuna all leave the club on a permanent basis, while Jordan Amavi has been loaned out to Marseille - expected to be signed permanently next summer.

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All in all, Bruce oversaw a clear-out of nine senior players - though still managed to introduce seven new faces without breaking the bank by any means.

Only spending £2m on initial fees for Glenn Whelan and Ahmed Elmohamady proves some frugal business from the Villa manager, as well as the loan signing of West Ham's Robert Snodgrass and free transfer of Chelsea legend John Terry.

Despite the arrival of Premier League experience, Bruce has endured a tough start to the season with the club. Sitting in lowly 18th, the days of the Premier League are but a distant memory after only one win in five games; with the remaining four matches both drawn and lost equally.