Finance expert thinks Aston Villa slipped up by agreeing to one clause in Jadon Sancho deal
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Harri Burton
Wed 3 September 2025 15:30, UK
Aston Villa agreed to a surprising deal when it comes to how much of Jadon Sancho’s wages are being covered this season.
That is according to football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that the loan deal is likely more beneficial for Man United than it is for the Villans.
Sancho signed for Villa on a season-long loan, with the deal being completed on the final day of the summer transfer window, with Unai Emery’s side set to pay £10million in additional wages.
Plumley exclusively told Football Insider that UEFA were the reason Aston Villa sold Jacob Ramsey before then agreeing a deal for the Man United outcast, who spent last season on loan with Chelsea.
Aston Villa were fined by UEFA earlier this summer for failing to comply with their financial regulations, and that more than likely affected the club’s activity in the transfer market.
This article contains exclusive comment from Dan Plumley, a football finance expert and senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
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Mick Brown told Football Insider that Man United officials are delighted with the Sancho deal.
Speaking to Football Insider exclusively, Plumley has outlined exactly why that might be after the 25-year-old signed on the dotted line at Villa Park.
“I think I’m surprised by the percentage of the fee being paid.
We’ve seen Villa’s challenges with UEFA, but they are in a positive transfer deficit, so they are kind of sticking to their end of the bargain,” he said.
“But we know that wages are a big factor within that, UEFA Financial Sustainability Regulations component against squad costs, so I think… I was a little bit surprised to see it being that high, and it is more favourable, as you say, for Man United.
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“There is a player in there still, I think everyone’s still pretty clear that there is some talent in there, so it’s one of those that we look back on in a few months and go, ‘That was smart business’,
“On 80 per cent or 100 per cent of that wage bill, I was a little bit surprised to see Villa cop him for that amount.
I expected it to be a little bit lower.”
In addition to Sancho’s wages, the deal includes a loan fee and achievable bonuses, so supporters will be expecting a huge output from the winger next season.
In 41 games for the Blues last term, he notched five goals and eight assists, showing the Red Devils exactly what they were missing in the final third at Old Trafford.
He even played a starring role in Chelsea‘s Europa Conference League title lift, scoring in the 4-1 win over Real Betis in the final in Poland, and many will be hoping for him to recreate this form.