McLeish Preparing For Some 'Big' Summer Spending

As some have been saying for a while, Villa have been going through a period of stabilisation and WILL start to deal in the transfer market again.

Alex McLeish told The Express when asked about 'big signings`

"I wouldn`t rule them out. Chief executive Paul Faulkner said to me not to just think that I can only bring in a free transfer."

Or as said in the Daily Mail

'Paul has said to me: 'Don't think you can only bring in free transfers.' 'I've told him that the only reason I'm recommending a free transfer is because I think that person is a hell of a good player and will be an improvement to our squad. We will still try to be prudent. But nothing's been said to me that I cannot bring in a player on top dollar, providing the wages are at a certain level.'

And there is the key. They had to get the wages in order, now it is up to the manager to decide on who he wants and how he affords it, same as any manager. There will be a transfer limit and there will be a wage limit. If he wants one top wage player, he`d then have to juggle with one lower wage player, as opposed to two mid range... This is no different to every club apart from Man City and the Chelsea of old (although they seem to be aging and in transition)

Related articles:

A great look at the accounts: Accountants Summary of AVFC Accounts
The future? Homegrown Players Will Be Our Foundation
The freebies available in the summer: So Which Bosman Players Should Villa Go For?

Must admit, I expect a pretty busy summer, I`d be shocked if there weren`t a few players leaving as well, including a defender or two who in my ever so humble opinion should have been shipped out last summer following their behaviour under Gerrard Houllier.

The only bit of news many won`t like is that Alex McLeish will be the one doing the spending, think we are just going to have to get used to that idea (or obviously some aren`t renewing because of that fact) and see where we are come next January when he`s had time to form his own team and remove what I consider the bad apples in this side!

AVFC Summer transfer talk thread: Click Here

McLeish generally on transfers for the summer: McLeish On Bosmans & Mystery Capture?

Signed: Brett Holman

So far we have:

IN

Fortuna Dusseldorf defender Assani Lukimya-Mulongoti: Click Here

Andrew Johnson: Click Here

France U21 international defender Benjamin Stambouli: Click Here

Danny Guthrie: Click Here

Heerenveen striker Bas Dost: Click Here

Rangers left-back Lee Wallace: click here

Former Rangers Gregg Wylde: Click Here

32-year-old Croatian International and Bayern Munich striker Ivica Olic: Click Here
Forum thread: Click Here

Joe Lewis from the Posh: Villa Transfer Talk - One Keeper In, One Out?

Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones: Click Here

Blackpool keeper Matt Gilks: Click Here

Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud: Click Here

Russian striker Pavel Pogrebnyak: Click Here

Robbie Keane permanently: Click Here

OUT

Brad Guzan leaving: Villa Transfer Talk - One Keeper In, One Out?

Stephen Warnock to Sunderland: click here

Stephen Ireland to the New York Red Bulls: Click Here

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.