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Nassef Sawiris enjoys 'butts kicked' dig at Man United in Aston Villa's PSR bid

Aston Villa are right in the mix for the Champions League again this season but owner Nassef Sawiris wants to be able to invest more

Aston Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris
Butts kicked... Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris(Image: James Marsh/REX/Shutterstock)

Nassef Sawiris has enjoyed seeing Aston Villa - and other teams, too - breaking through Premier League barriers established by the 'Big Six' as ambitious clubs battle against the ceiling imposed by notorious Profitability and Sustainability regulations.

Villa finished fourth in the Premier League last year - above Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United - while Newcastle United did similar the season before. Even now, Nottingham Forest are in the mix for a Champions League place and the likes of Brighton, Bournemouth and Fulham have also made significant strides in recent years.


But money - or the ability to spend it - remains a huge issue for the likes of Villa, who under co-owners Sawiris and Wes Edens are not short of a penny but have been limited by how much they can splash out on recruitment and salaries, in turn meaning they can only sign a certain level of player. Even during their progress under Unai Emery, they've been required to sell talented players to keep within the Premier League's controversial spending rules.


Still, that hasn't stopped the likes of Villa, Newcastle and Brighton inflicting defeats on perceived bigger clubs and upsetting the established order of the Premier League. It's a slow changing of the guard, which has amused Sawiris.

“The Premier League is under the impression that what makes it great is Manchester United and Liverpool and Chelsea and Arsenal, so they have to cater for these guys," Sawiris told the Financial Times. "But what makes the Premier League great is that Manchester United get their butts kicked by Brighton."

While Sawiris himself has left the UK and now divides his time between Italy and Abu Dhabi, he has no intentions of selling his house and has indicated that he will, as part of the NSWE Villa ownership, continue to invest in the club. There are plans to increase the capacity of Villa Park, while money will continue to be available to Emery, Monchi and the Villa transfer team for use in the market.

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“I’m keeping my house, I’m growing my investment in Aston Villa, looking at expanding the stadium," Sawiris added, "and it hasn’t changed my love for this country.”

Where will Villa finish this season? Have your say HERE

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