Aston Villa News

The latest Aston Villa news includes a look at Forbes’ new 2022 financial list involving football clubs in Europe

Forbes’ top 20

Aston Villa have been named in Forbes’ top 20 most-valuable football teams in the world for the very first time. According to the well-respected US business magazine, Aston Villa are currently ranked 20^th with a club value of £647 million.

Villa’s Premier League rivals Leeds (£690m), West Ham (£776m), Leicester (£798m) and Everton (£811m) are all directly above Villa in Forbes’ new list for 2022. Tottenham (£2bn) are 10^th with Arsenal 11^th (£1.7bn), while Chelsea is eighth (£2.6bn). Manchester United (£3.9bn) are ranked third ahead of Liverpool (£3.8bn) in fourth and Man City (£3.6bn) in sixth.

Debt-free club

Forbes has also outlined how Villa are one of six debt-free clubs amongst their top-20 list with their revenue – the money generated from normal business operations – standing at £203m. Villa’s operating income – the sum total of a company’s profit after subtracting its regular, recurring costs and expenses – is £10.3m which is far healthier than Inter Milan ($3m), AC Milan ($16m), Barcelona ($17m), Everton ($20m) and Paris Saint-Germain ($103m). Man City’s operating income is an impressive $156m compared to next-best Manchester United at $128m.

1. Real Madrid current value: $5.1bn
2. Barcelona current value: $5bn
3. Manchester United current value: $4.6bn
4. Liverpool current value: $4.45bn
5. Bayern Munich current value: $4.275bn
6. Manchester City current value: $4.25bn
7. Paris Saint-Germain current value: $3.2bn
8. Chelsea current value: $3.1bn
9. Juventus current value: $2.45bn
10.  Tottenham Hotspur current value: $2.35bn
11.  Arsenal current value: $2.05bn
12.  Borussia Dortmund current value: $1.8bn
13.  Atletico de Madrid current value: $1.5bn
14.  AC Milan current value: $1.2bn
15.  Inter Milan current value: $1bn
16.  Everton current value: $940m
17.  Leicester City current value: $925m
18.  West Ham United current value: $900m
19.  Leeds United current value: $800m
20.  Aston Villa current value: $750m

Premier League

Forbes’ latest rankings comes just three years after Villa’s promotion back to the Premier League. The club have been backed to the tune of £430m in transfer additions thanks to owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens who took control back in 2018. Villa’s transfer net spend during their ownership stands at £275m. Next year, plans have already been put forward to redevelop a new North Stand and fan park costing in the region of £100m, taking capacity up from 42,785 to 50,065.

Satisfy demand

A statement read: “The aim is to restore Villa Park to a best-in-class football stadium and profitable venue, where AVFC can grow capacity to satisfy demand, optimise the hospitality offer and commercial revenue, and ultimately create a major sports entertainment and recreation venue in Birmingham and the Midlands.”

Aston Villa were last listed in Forbes’ most-valuable football teams back in 2009 – sitting in 21^st – under the ownership of Randy Lerner. Villa were ranked 24^th in 2008 and 25^th in 2007.