Gabby Agbonlahor sums up what every Aston Villa follower is thinking with scathing Tottenham rant

Gabby Agbonlahor has launched a scathing attack on UEFA and Premier League spending rules, claiming they unfairly favour Tottenham Hotspur despite the club's poor performance. The 39-year-old former forward spoke out during a week highlighting the stark disparity between Aston Villa and Spurs.

Villa finished fourth and won a trophy this season, 13 places and 24 points ahead of Tottenham, yet Spurs continue to spend heavily. The north London club has signed Mateus Fernandes and is closing in on a nine-figure deal for Sandro Tonali, despite finishing 17th for two consecutive seasons.

Agbonlahor expressed his frustration directly. "I speak for Newcastle fans, for Villa fans, for a lot of fans whose clubs can't spend money," he said. "Spurs have finished seventeenth two seasons in a row. How can they go and spend 52 million on Jan Paul van Hecke? Tonali will be 100m, Fernandes will be 85m. Free transfers for Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi, big big wages for all five of those players."

The disparity in treatment angers him further. "And then teams like Aston Villa who have just won the trophy are getting fined 19 million and can't spend any money. It's a joke. The rules are a joke."

Agbonlahor highlighted the structural advantage Tottenham possesses. Having rebuilt their stadium at huge expense, Spurs generate significantly more revenue than Villa Park. Under Profit and Sustainability rules, clubs can spend up to 85 per cent of revenue, though Villa face a stricter 70 per cent threshold as a Champions League club under UEFA regulations.

He questioned how Villa can bridge the gap to Arsenal and Manchester City. "I'm not saying they're being punished. I'm just saying it's not fair that they can and then clubs like Aston Villa who have got multi-billion pound owners can't buy anybody. What's the point?"