EFL lift transfer embargo on Aston Villa

If you’re like me, you’ve just read the headline of this article - and you’ve searched deep within your mind - trying to pinpoint a time when anyone of any note at all reported that Aston Villa were under punishment via the EFL.

John Percy of The Telegraph is the first person to have reported that Villa were ‘operating under an enforced transfer embargo’ in an article that also states that the club are in the running for Ben Woodburn on a loan deal from Liverpool. This is the first we’ve heard of it, and it’s likely the first you’ve heard of it.

Birmingham City, over the road, have also been placed under a transfer embargo - with the EFL refusing to allow them to register new signing Kristian Pedersen. Villa’s, with incoming investment, has been lifted, allowing them to pursue signings.

This is likely why no major moves have been announced for Villa - with rumoured deals for Robert Snodgrass, James Chester and Jack Grealish in the mix as well as the pending signing of Andre Moreira on a loan from Atletico Madrid. Villa couldn’t officially do anything because officially, they couldn’t do anything.

However, this reveal only raises more questions - how did this go unnoticed until now? Former owner, Tony Xia was hit with a number of accusations by local media, but none had noticed that Villa were apparently hit with an embargo? While Birmingham City’s embargo has been widely reported, how did this fly so far under the radar?

Either way, for the meantime, it’s over.