Aston Villa all set to carry on spending
Dean Smith admits Villa still have work to do in the transfer market despite signing defender Bjorn Engels.
The 24-year-old Belgian is already thought to have joined Villa’s pre-season training camp in the USA after making a £9million switch from Reims.
Engels became the club’s eighth signing of the summer, with Manchester City midfielder Douglas Luiz on course to become the ninth in a £15million switch.
The deals continue Smith’s large-scale overhaul of Villa’s playing squad since winning promotion via the play-offs.
But the boss is eager to add more, with finding a goalkeeper and striker now topping his list of priorities.
“There is still more business to be done,” said Smith. “It’s a small window, especially for us, having finished on May 27. In that short amount of time we have got some really good work done, but there is still a bit more we need to do.”
Smith is pleased with Villa’s work to date and heaped praise on sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch, who has been charged with heading up transfer negotiations
“A lot of credit must go to him, he has worked tirelessly,” said Smith. “Since the final whistle went at Wembley, he and (chief executive) Christian Purslow have worked hard.
“We spoke when I came in about the profiles of players I want in each position. We have evolved as a group. Luckily we are very similar in the players we look for.”
Villa kick-off their pre-season campaign in the early hours of tomorrow morning when they take on Minnesota United in St Paul.
