Ezri Konsa has criticized spending rules affecting Aston Villa’s transfer activity after a slow start to the season. Villa’s limited signings, due to Premier League and UEFA financial regulations, include Evann Guessand, Victor Lindelöf, Harvey Elliott, and Jadon Sancho. Konsa acknowledges the tough start but remains hopeful, emphasizing the team’s ambition to compete for Champions League qualification. He also highlights the England team’s role in uniting the nation.
Aston Villa's summer transfer window has been a major talking point, and not in a positive way. Defender Ezri Konsa has publicly criticized football's spending regulations, stating that they "killed" the club's activity in the market. This comes after a frustrating start to the season for Villa, who have managed just one point from their opening three Premier League games, failing to score a single goal in the process. The club's ambitions have been significantly hampered by the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) and the equivalent financial fair play regulations imposed by UEFA.
Villa's major outlay was the £30.5 million acquisition of Evann Guessand from Nice. Aside from Guessand, the club only managed to bring in four other first-team players. Marco Bizot arrived, followed by Victor Lindelöf, Harvey Elliott, and Jadon Sancho on deadline day. The club was also reportedly open to selling goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to ease financial pressures, but a suitable buyer never materialized. Furthermore, Unai Emery reluctantly sanctioned the £39 million sale of Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle. Ramsey, being a homegrown player, represented pure profit on the balance sheets, a factor that Villa desperately needed to consider.
The financial constraints stem from Aston Villa's high wages-to-revenue ratio, which reportedly stood at a concerning 96% in the 2023-24 season, according to Deloitte. UEFA had already penalized the club on July 4 for breaching its squad cost ratio rules, warning that further competitive sanctions could be imposed if they failed to achieve a positive transfer balance by the end of the window. This situation is particularly frustrating for Villa, as they have successfully qualified for this season's Europa League, raising expectations that now seem difficult to meet.
Konsa, currently with the England squad preparing for their World Cup qualifier against Andorra at Villa Park, couldn't ignore the elephant in the room. "It is crazy," Konsa stated. "I don't understand it myself, but from the outside looking in, it doesn't look too good. I know that, and I know it's really killed us this transfer window. We're going to have to deal with what we've got now." He acknowledged the team's difficult start to the season but remained optimistic. "Everyone knows it's been a tough start, but it's part of football. We've done some recruitment on deadline day, so hopefully, the boys that have come in can really help us."
When asked about following the transfer deadline day drama, Konsa revealed his detachment, saying, "Pffff, no. I definitely didn't watch that. It's been tough, especially for us. I knew that signing players was going to be difficult, so I did not look at transfer deadline day. Around eight o’clock, I went on Aston Villa Twitter to see what happened, and I saw that we'd signed three players, who are really good and have Premier League experience. I think that's what we needed as well." The additions of Lindelöf, Elliott and Sancho are hoped to provide a much-needed boost to the squad.
Konsa himself has had a somewhat shaky start to the season. He was sent off in their opening match against Newcastle and subsequently banned for the defeat against Brentford. Furthermore, Tuchel, now rumored to be in line for the England job, was present at both the Newcastle and Brentford games, adding an extra layer of scrutiny to Konsa's performances. "Yes, he was there," Konsa said with a smile regarding the Newcastle game. "I didn’t want to see him, but he was outside the [dressing room] door. He was laughing at me. Not much to say about that! I got red-carded, but he was very helpful, very understanding. It was a boring game anyway! He didn’t think anything of it."
Konsa, who has been with Aston Villa since 2019, has experienced the club's less successful times, particularly during his first season when they narrowly avoided relegation. He maintains faith in manager Unai Emery, who has guided Villa to impressive league finishes since taking over in October 2022. "We want to stay in the top six, top five … we want to play Champions League football," Konsa stated. "I've been at Villa at the worst times, so I know how bad it can be. We're not there yet. It's three games in." Despite the financial constraints and the slow start to the season, Konsa remains optimistic about the team's potential to achieve their ambitions.
Looking beyond club football, Konsa also touched upon the responsibility he and his England teammates feel to unite the nation with their performances. "Definitely," he affirmed. "We know how much we can bring people together. I saw it last year at the Euros, after the penalties against Switzerland [in the quarter-final win]. As footballers, sometimes you don't realize how much power we have over people. When we play for our country, the pride and joy we bring to people is amazing." This sense of duty adds another layer of motivation for Konsa as he prepares to represent his country, hoping to deliver a positive outcome both on and off the field.