Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce is preparing for his first full season with the Championship side.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has received transfer assurances
A report from the Express and Star has suggested that Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce has made strengthening his options in wide areas of the pitch one of his main priorities for the summer, and has been told by the club’s hierarchy that his initial targets fall into their budget.
Villa are preparing for their first full season under Bruce looking to put their unspectacular first campaign back in the Championship behind them and push for promotion back to the Premier League.
The Daily Mirror recently suggested that Bruce would have just £1 million to spend on his squad during the coming months. But while the Express and Star suggests that players will need to be sold, the report added that Bruce has been assured that the funds are there to buy their initial targets.
And while the Express and Star does not name many of those targets – though keeping loanee Sam Johnstone is on their radar – they have provided a hint as to what kind of player Bruce may be looking at.
Bruce had reportedly been told that he would have an extremely limited budget
According to the Express and Star, Villa will prioritise strengthening their wide options, while they also want a new centre-back and attacking midfielder.
The news that Bruce’s targets are potentially attainable will undoubtedly delight Villa supporters who may have been worried that the manager would have a kitty barely worth seven figures to work with to try and construct a squad capable of moving several places up the table.
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