Friday 6 September 2019 11:03, UK
Aston Villa are confident they have not broken any Financial Fair Play rules as the Premier League look into the sale and lease back of Villa Park.
Despite conducting the transaction while in the Championship, along with Derby, Reading and Sheffield Wednesday, the Premier League will look at whether Villa are in breach of any FFP rules.
Like those that have been initiated by the EFL on Pride Park, Hillsborough and the Madejski Stadium, the review could include an independent valuation of the stadium in Aston.
Villa are said to have sought and received approval from the EFL before selling Villa Park to another of their owners' companies - reportedly for a price of £56.7m - and then leasing it back.
The Midlands club are understood to be content to open all their accounts to the Premier League when they make their FFP assessments.
On Thursday, Derby defended the £80m sale of Pride Park after the EFL commissioned an independent valuation of the ground, following concerns from other second-tier clubs that it was overvalued.
The decisions of these four clubs, one of which has since achieved promotion, to sell their stadiums to other companies with the same ownership has been met with criticism and opposition from other Championship sides.
Middlesbrough have started legal action against Derby over the issue and Boro chairman Steve Gibson has complained to the EFL, saying he feels the sale and lease-back system contravenes the League's rules on P&S - but his proposal to change the rule earlier this year was voted down by the other clubs.
