Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Aston Villa chairman sends transfer message to Steve Bruce after £50m summer spree
ASTON VILLA chairman Keith Wyness insisted the club will hand Steve Bruce funds for promotion despite spending £50million in the summer.
Steve Bruce promised transfer funds in January
Bruce, 55, has signed a rolling contract at the club to become Villa's sixth manager since Tim Sherwood was appointed in February 2015.
Villa's net spend in the summer was £34m, including buying £12m Ross McCormack from Fulham and signing Jonathan Kodjia from Bristol City in a deal which will eventually rise to £15m.
They have seen little value for money, with those two strikers returning just three goals between them, but Wyness promised the club would spend in January if they need to.
"We are always open to looking at tweaking the squad," the Villa chief said. "Steve has already said himself this is probably the best squad he has ever taken over.
"There's nothing massively wrong with the squad but would we spend again in January? Absolutely.
Roberto Di Matteo oversaw £50m spending spree in the summer
"It's all about staying up in the Premier League but every season in the Championship, promotion is the target. Hopefully it will be just for this season.
"It's going to be difficult but there's still a long way to go. Until it's mathematically impossible we will look to finish in the top two."