adminBIRMINGHAM. – Over the last three transfer windows, Aston Villa have spent over £150 million on new signings.
The investment include the money Villa splashed for Zimbabwean midfielder, Marvelous Nakamba.
Now, BeIN sports presenter, Richard Keys, is calling for the investment to be evidenced by the Premier League table
Villa head coach Steven Gerrard has been told that this season will have been a failure if the club aren’t competing for a top six spot in the Premier League.
After the arrivals of Brazilian pair Diego Carlos and Philippe Coutinho for eight-figure fees, Villa’s spending stands at just shy of £50 million, according to Transfermarkt.
Robin Olsen and Boubacar Kamara have both also signed permanently while Ludwig Augustinsson has followed Carlos in swapping Sevilla for Villa Park, albeit only on loan, but for a fee.
That adds to last season’s expenditure that was well in excess of £100 million with Lucas Digne joining during the January transfer window.
A 14th place finish followed after Gerrard replaced Dean Smith in the dugout, but now Keys is expecting significant improvement on that in the 42-year-old’s first full season in charge.
They, alongside nouveau riche Newcastle United, are being backed to be the closest challengers to Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur this season.
“Villa have got to make a statement,” Keys wrote in his latest blog.
“It’s them and Newcastle that should be shaking up the natural order of things. They spent big again in the summer and Gerrard will have failed if they’re not challenging for a place in the top six.” – BirminghamLive
Online Reporter