ASTON VILLA
StrumSolo > 08/08/2013, 17:33
In: Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland, £4m), Leandro Bacuna (Groningen £3m), Aleksander Tonev (Lech Poznan, £2.5m), Antonio Luna (Seville, £2m), Nicklas Helenium (Aalborg, £1.2m rising to £2m), Liam Prynn (Torquay, £50,000), Jed Steer (Norwich, Free).
Out: Brett Holman (Al Nasr, Free), Eric Lichaj (Nottm Fst, Free), Jean Makoun (Rennes, Free), Derrick Williams (Bristol City, Free), Richard Dunne (QPR, Free).
Retired: Stiliyan Petrov.
Prediction: 14th
Keeping hold of Christian Benteke is by far the best bit of business done by Paul Lambert this summer. Another season of the Belgium international banging in the goals at Villa Park should see them stay well clear of any relegation trouble.
In terms of the players signed in the close season, the activity is pretty similar to last summer’s, with Lambert taking punts on less well-known youngsters rather than going for proven, established names. For this reason I still think they’ll have work-in-progress vibe about them and there could still be the odd nervy moment.
But with Benteke retained, and the likes of Lowton, Weimann and Westwood a season older and wiser, a comfortable mid-table spot should be easily achieved.