Aston Villa escaped a 10-point deduction after they sold Douglas Luiz to Juventus this summer.
The Midlands club knew they faced a race against time to meet Premier League spending regulations by the June 30 deadline.
They had decided to sell Luiz to Juventus in May, but there was little time left to wrap up the transfer.
Juventus wanted to include two youngsters in the deal rather than pay the full asking price, with the clubs finally settling on Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea.
“From May 20 until June 30 is normally the holiday period for everyone in football, but for us it was a very difficult moment.
“It’s not just about selling players who will ensure you make a profit.
“At the same time you have to sell the players that (manager) Unai Emery believes are not crucial for the team,” Villa’s director of football operations, Damian Vidagany, said.
Aston Villa didn’t reveal how many points they feared they would lose, but Mail Sport understands it was around 10.