SMITH IS IN BILLIONAIRE BOYS’ CLUB
DEAN SMITH says he is working for owners who are “the real deal” – and has braced Aston Villa fans for an exciting summer.
The club’s chief says mega wealthy Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens are determined to gatecrash the party at the top of the Premier League.
The combined wealth of the pair is approaching £10billion, giving them parity with Roman Abramovich at Chelsea.
Villa also had a seal of royal approval this week when supporter Prince William opened a high-performance centre at their Bodymoor Heath training base.
A number of Premier League clubs will be eyeing the transfer window with trepidation, given the financial havoc that the pandemic has wreaked upon the game.
But Smith (above) says that Villa will attack the transfer market during the close season as the club look to advance their status in the top flight.
He said: “The ambition of the owners is to be challenging regularly for the Champions League places and the Premier League.
“That’s what they want to do. We have an Egyptian owner and an
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Last five in PL:
Top PL scorer: Watkins (13) MANCHESTER UNITED Last five in PL: WWWWD Top PL scorer: Fernandes (16)
American owner – and they want to grow the Aston Villa brand worldwide.
“To do that we need to be competing at the top end of the Premier League, and that’s where we are aiming to go.
“We have a recruitment strategy and there are lots of plates spinning at the moment.
“And that’s where we, as a club, are very fortunate to have the owners we do.
“Whenever I speak to them, one of the things they talk about is the club’s history. They did their research before they even arrived. They are driving this club forward.
“We want success. The high performance centre we have had built here, opened by
Prince William the other day, is growing the club.
“It does take time to catch up with teams who have been in the Premier League for 20-odd years in succession because of the finances they’ve enjoyed.
“What you’re hoping to do is overtake some of those who haven’t spent as wisely as they could.
“But what these owners have shown – already I might add – is that they are willing to finance us closing that gap.
“And we feel we can certainly close that gap.
“I’m excited as the head coach of Aston Villa. But I’m excited for the supporters, too.
“I believe these owners are the real deal.”
Villa will again be without Jack Grealish for the United clash but he is hoping to return for Saturday’s game at Crystal Palace, with Thursday’s fixture against Everton an outside chance.