There is one caveat. The Athletic has confirmed with UEFA that, just like for the squad cost rule, the governing body allows clubs to include one-third of transfer profits for the transfer balance calculation.

Aston Villa have been heavily linked with making a move to acquire Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson’s signature. The 24-year-old, who arrived at Stamford Bridge from La Liga side Villarreal in 2023, is reportedly ready to part ways with the Blues and has been of interest to some clubs, including Bayern Munich and AC Milan, among others.

Aston Villa have not been very active in this summer’s transfer window so far, but now the club have started preparing for a big move. According to a report by Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg,