Aston Villa have reported pre-tax losses of £36.1m for the 2017-18 season and admitted that complying with spending rules "will continue to provide a significant challenge" for the Championship club.

Losses were up more than £21.5m on the previous season.

Financial accounts of the Recon Group, the club's parent company, filed at Companies House show Villa made losses of more than £1m a week before player sales were taken into account.

Figures also show that billionaire businessmen Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris have put £68m into the club since taking control of the then-financially stricken club in July 2018.

The report said the "directors believe" Villa will meet spending rules again this season.

"A number of measures have been identified to ensure financial fair play compliance can be maintained," it read.