Aston Villa owner Dr Tony Xia has sent fans into a frenzy after his latest cryptic Twitter message.
The outspoken chief took to his personal Twitter account on Friday evening to tease the Aston Villa fans ahead of another potential summer of spending at the Championship club.
1%. ???#UTV
— Dr. Tony Xia (@Dr_TonyXia) June 9, 2017
Xia’s arrival a year ago saw the club flex their financial muscle in the transfer market, where they brought in as many as nine new players, including a £15million deal to sign Jonathan Kodjia from Bristol City.
However, the spending continued in January, with another eight players arriving at the club under Steve Bruce, and more signings are to be expected this summer to aid their promotion bid.
But Xia’s cryptic tweet suggests that Aston Villa’s transfer business is already underway, although fans on Twitter are clutching at straws attempting to identify the potential new arrivals.
This is Futbol has rounded up some of the best Tweets:
https://twitter.com/ffsavfc/status/873219435074662400
https://twitter.com/AV_The_Informer/status/873219334444920832
John Terry, Ashley Young, Alex Bruce sign them all
— Shane Butlin (@shanebutlin1) June 9, 2017
JOHN TERRY ?????????
— Lewis Murphy (@lewis59453181) June 9, 2017
Not again Tony, can't take a summer of this ?
— Chris (@cdetheridge1981) June 9, 2017
If its Glenn Whelan or Alex Bruce hang up the phone please lol
— Mark (@MarkPatton7) June 9, 2017
Not again Tony, please.
— Dan (@DanBennett_) June 9, 2017
This obviously means we have just started to make inquiries that's all #AVFC #UTV
— James??????? (@JimmyTheBrummie) June 9, 2017
Come on Dr Tony, give us a position clue ???? #UTV
— Isaac Barrington (@Isyb_Futsal) June 9, 2017
Telegraph correspondent John Percy revealed on his personal Twitter account earlier on Friday that Aston Villa were in talks with Stoke City over a deal for experienced midfielder Glenn Whelan.
#avfc are in talks with Stoke over a deal for Glenn Whelan. Opening bid of 500k turned down but deal should happen #scfc
— John Percy (@JPercyTelegraph) June 9, 2017
Xia’s tweet could of course be referring to their attempts to sign the Republic of Ireland international, having already seen a bid worth £500,000 rebuffed by the Premier League side.
However, Aston Villa fans have also taken a more tongue-in-cheek response, urging the club to make a move for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, after he was released by Manchester United.
Ibrahimovic, 35, scored 28 goals from 46 appearances in his debut season at Old Trafford, but was let go by the club amid his current long-term injury status.
He is now available to be snapped-up on a free transfer this summer, as is Chelsea icon John Terry, and Villa fans have joked they should both head to the Midlands outfit.