Steven Gerrard details Aston Villa transfer plan as 'big summer' expected

Aston Villa could be one of the busier Premier League clubs in the transfer window this summer with Steven Gerrard set to continue building his squad.

In January, Villa signed Philippe Coutinho (loan), Lucas Digne, Calum Chambers and Robin Olsen to add quality and depth to the first-team. Ahead of the summer window opening in June, Gerrard and the recruitment team are working behind the scenes to draw up plans and identify targets who can improve the squad ahed of a crucial 2022/23 campaign.

Villa will target a holding midfielder and defensive reinforcements are priorities when the window opens, while the club will also discuss whether or not to make Philippe Coutinho's stay at the club permanent or not in the coming weeks. And former Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny thinks Villa are in store for a "big summer."

Kenny told Football Insider. : "15th is not good enough, they will be really disappointed with that. I was actually really excited to see how Villa were going to do this season because of the transfers they made in the summer but it hasn’t quite worked for them.

"They have been so inconsistent this season because they have played some really good stuff. But there have been times where they have been really poor and they shouldn’t be down in 15th.

"I think they will have a big summer, they have to. Gerrard will demand that. I don’t know what was promised to him but he managed to get Coutinho to sign for them so I would trust him to spend well in the summer."

Speaking of the summer transfer window, Gerrard said last week: "I understand behind the scenes there’s a lot of talk, a lot of rumours, a lot of speculation about the summer. I think that’s normal and it will be happening at a majority of clubs.

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