It has been a productive summer of transfer activity at Aston Villa so far this summer as they will be looking to drastically improve on last season under the management of Steve Bruce next time out. They finished mid-table in The Championship in the last campaign, mainly due to a poor start under Roberto Di Matteo but will be looking to push hard for promotion to the Premier League this time round.
Bruce has made four signings this summer with Ahmed Elmohamady, Christopher Samba, John Terry and Glenn Whelan all arriving at Villa Park. It is unlikely that Villa will be bringing many more new faces in this summer due to Financial Fair Play regulations and due to the amount, they have spent since their relegation already.
There have also been several departures from the club this summer, in an attempt to balance the books further. The likes of Nathan Baker, Libor Kozak and Jordan Veretout have all left the club, and more may be allowed to leave the club before the window slams shut.
We take a look at five players who could play a vital part in the upcoming season for Villa in their quest to earn a spot back in the top flight at the second attempt.
3Conor Hourihane
Hourihane has also impressed at Villa Park, similarly to Lansbury, since joining the club from Championship rivals Barnsley for an undisclosed fee in the January transfer window. The 26-year-old has made 17 appearances for Villa and has scored one goal during this time.
Despite the fact that he is still relatively new to the Championship, he has proven that he can be a quality player in this division. He is likely to be a regular feature in Bruce’s starting lineup next season alongside Lansbury next season, and you will struggle to find a better midfield pairing in the division.
