Why PRS transfer allegations about Chelsea and Aston Villa are absurd amid Omari Kellyman’s £19m move

Aston Villa are one of a number of clubs that have come under scrutiny for their dealings since the start of the summer which, despite Premier League rules, are being questioned by rivals.

It is believed that some are SKEPTICAL about certain deals that are negotiated before June 30 as clubs try to generate book profits to comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR). Those under the microscope are believed to be the likes of Villa, Newcastle United, Chelsea and Everton. All four are understood to be under pressure to raise money before the end of the month and while there is no suggestion of wrongdoing by the clubs involved, it won’t take long to dispel any doubts about LEGITIMATE of Villa’s movements.

The Premier League scrutinizes all transactions that clubs make, from player sales to trade deals, for a fair market value. And some clubs believe that sales of young players between certain teams are driven to generate profits.

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The current rules are in place so that clubs cannot lose more than £105m over a three-year period. However, while there is no doubt that those rules boost the sales of players – especially those who are of local origin – Birmingham Live understands Douglas Luiz’s €50m move to Juventus is the deal that puts Villa in the clear about PSR.

So any thought that they are simply flogging the likes of Tim Iroegbunam and Omari Kellyman to avoid a possible points deduction for breaking the rules is incomprehensible.

And with the club’s fears of PSR thus allayed, any further transfer activity will be based purely on footballing requirements rather than financial ones, even if selling an academy player for pure profit such as Kellyman will obviously strengthen any balance sheet.

Villa’s long-term strategy, or much of it, is to sign players to improve and potentially sell when the time is right. That, of course, will always allow them to stay one step ahead when it comes to PSR issues.

It is worth mentioning that this is also Chelsea’s strategy. They have spent a huge amount of money recruiting young players from around the world since Todd Boehly took over at Stamford Bridge.

When Villa went to sign Ian Maatsen, the left-back named in last season’s Champions League team of the season, Chelsea asked to buy Villa’s best academy product. With Villa under no pressure to sell Kellyman to avoid a PSR breach this summer, the Blues were willing to pay a premium for the youngster.

Chelsea’s model is to recruit younger players so they can develop them, rather than paying more than double after enjoying breakthrough seasons in senior football. Kellyman is arguably the brightest talent to emerge from Villa’s academy, which has produced or developed the likes of Jack Grealish, Carney Chukwuemeka, Jacob Ramsey, Jaden Philogene and Cameron Archer in recent years.

Under Emery, Morgan Rogers has improved immeasurably in a short space of time, going from Championship football to Champions League football in the space of a few months. There’s no reason why Kellyman wouldn’t have enjoyed a meteoric rise himself over the next 18 months, having been around first-team training for some time.

He also impressed in the pre-season last summer in the States. He hit the post in the 3-3 draw with Newcastle United and didn’t look out of place against more senior professionals.

Kellyman is also heading to Chelsea for less than what Carney Chukwuemeka was sold to Chelsea two years ago. There were no disputes then. Chukwuemeka, who was also 18 at the time, did not want to sign a new deal with his contract at the time it was up.

There should be no shock at the price Chelsea – a club with a definite transfer policy – wanted to sign Kellyman. The west London club have already paid a huge fee for 18-year-old Brazilian Estevao Willian in a deal that could be worth £52m. West Ham also bought from Palmerias this summer, signing another 18-year-old, Luis Guilherme, for £25.5m.

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