Aston Villa have recently agreed an off-field deal at Villa Park, with one finance expert labelling it as “excellent timing”.
Aston Villa update – off-field deal agreed
It has been a busy year in the Midlands, with Unai Emery transforming the club’s fortunes on the pitch and leading Villa into the Europa Conference League. As a result, NSWE backed the Spaniard in the transfer market over the summer, with the likes of Moussa Diaby and Pau Torres arriving in big-money transfers.
However, Villa have also been busy in recent months and announced a new collaborative partnership with Japanese club, Vissel Kobe. Villa shared the news last week, saying on their official website:
“As part of this exciting step forward for both clubs, Villa and Vissel Kobe will work to create a bilateral development framework for players and staff which will enhance youth development, alongside the cooperative sharing of ideas, techniques and best practice. The partnership will look to further open up pathways for talented Japanese players to play in Europe and, ultimately, at Aston Villa.”
Kieran Maguire has claimed that Aston Villa will want to emulate Brighton & Hove Albion’s success with Kaoru Mitoma going forward, and he has made another claim on the deal. Maguire, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider about the off-field agreement and labelled it as “excellent timing for Aston Villa”.
“I think this Vissel Kobe partnership is excellent timing for Aston Villa. They have ambitious owners. They want eventually to be in a position where they can challenge the ‘Big Six’ in terms of qualifying in the Champions League places.
“Therefore in order for them to be able to do that, they need to be able to increase income streams. Having a good tie-up with a senior Asian market such as Japan makes logical sense.
“Combining that with the expansion of Villa Park it makes even more sense. Football is leaning more towards prawn sandwiches, which as a fan you loathe. but as a financier you understand.”
Aston Villa and Vissel Kobe deal
Not only will Villa work with Vissel Kobe ahead of some potential players moving from Japan to England, but the club confirmed that exchanges of “technical knowledge and coaching methodology”, looking to improve areas of “performance, scouting and recruitment, data analysis and overall squad management” will also be on the agenda, so there appears to be an in-depth plan in place.
It could benefit both clubs in years to come, and as Maguire claims, the deal may also help Villa as they look to break into the ‘Big Six’ under Emery with an improved income in Asia both on and off the pitch. It will be interesting to see who the first player could be to make the move from Vissel Kobe to Aston Villa, but with Emery’s side once again flying during the current campaign, additions may well be limited to start with.