Villa will use transfer window: Ellis
Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis is adamant that new players will be brought into the club before the January transfer window closes.
Villa manager David O’Leary failed to land his number one target James Beattie who opted to move from Southampton to Everton instead.
But Ellis is confident new blood will arrive even though he admits Villa do not have the same depth of funds as some clubs as they still try and rectify the spending sprees of previous regimes.
O’Leary has already slashed the wage bill by 50% and offloaded 16 players in an attempt to put the club back on an even keel.
Ellis said: “It’s ludicrous for people to suggest we’ve given up just because we haven’t signed anyone in the first week.
“David knows exactly what is available to spend and I know exactly who he wants to bring in. Between us, we’re working hard to make it happen. The reality is we don’t have the transfer funds of many of our peers.
“It’s a cold hard fact that we’re still having to contend with the debts incurred from previous expensive signings.
“The prize money earned in the past 12 months of around £8m (€11.5m) has been swallowed up by this process.
“But rest assured, we’re making progress on all fronts and the money we set aside for the James Beattie deal is still available for David to spend.”
O’Leary said: “I’m fully aware of the current financial position and the ongoing effects of deals that we’re done long before I got here. But I know the score and we have to get on with it.
“We missed out on one player this week with Beattie and I also decided to put an end to our interest in another (Amdy Faye). But the important thing is that we move on.
“The transfer market is ever changing and we now have to react. I’ve spoken to the chairman throughout the week and he, like everyone else knows we need to add to the squad.
“The money that is currently available will be put to good use and will hopefully enable us to bring in some new players this month.”
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