Recon group chair says could pay more than 100 million pounds for Aston Villa

Britain Soccer Football - Aston Villa v Newcastle United - Barclays Premier League - Villa Park - 7/5/16 Aston Villa fans before the match Action Images via Reuters / Jason Cairnduff Livepic

BEIJING (Reuters) - The Chinese magnate who has agreed to buy English football club Aston Villa has said the final purchase price for the club would range between 75 million pounds and more than 100 million pounds, depending on how the club performs next season.

Recon Group chairman Xia Jiantong told Reuters that he will pay at the upper end of the price range if the club immediately returns to the English Premier League next season. A failure to gain promotion could see the purchase price as low as 75 million pounds, he said.