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.
1Scott Hogan
The 25-year-old striker is yet another player who joined the club in the January transfer window from Championship rivals Brentford for a hefty undisclosed fee on a four-and-a-half-year contract. However, he struggled to make an instant impact at the club and only scored once in his first five appearances.
However, despite a slow start, he has the potential to regain his goal scoring form and can be a big player for Bruce’s side next season. His record of 21 goals in 33 appearances for Brentford proves that he does know where the back of the net is.
