Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard’s priority is to sort the ‘spine’ of his side before adding ‘flair’ players.
Just a day after the Premier League season drew to a close Villa announced the signing of highly-sought centre midfielder Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer from Marseille.
With Philippe Coutinho’s loan move from Barcelona already made permanent, on Thursday the club revealed another major coup in Sevilla centre-back Diego Carlos for around £26.5m.
It doesn’t seem as if the spending will start there as Gerrard prepares a team to surge up the table in his first full season in charge after labouring to a 13th-placed finish this term with Jones suggesting that he wants the crux of his team sorted before he recalls the players for pre-season.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT Jones said:
“I think that he wants that sorted before they get to pre-season so that he’s got the base and the spine of his team there.
“So, then he can work around and add a couple of little flair players or bits and pieces that can finish off the job.”
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The former Rangers boss made it clear following his appointment that he has a long-term goal of guiding the club back into Europe, thus further recruitment will be needed following a disappointing campaign on all accounts and they have already caused a stir in the transfer window.
NSWE spent over £133m in the summer prior to the club’s first season back in the top-flight in 2019/20 and they managed to survive on the final day.
That figure had raised to almost £330m since their return to the Premier League before the January window where they brought in Philippe Coutinho with the option to buy for £33m and Everton’s Lucas Digne for a further £25m yet they found themselves with a mid-to-law table finish.
With this kind of backing and more signings seemingly to come with the Liverpool legend reportedly keen on former player Calvin Bassey, the board will be certainly hoping that the 41-year-old boss can take them towards European contention.