Villa boss Emery: Intelligent market work key to success here

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery admits clever work in the transfer market is key to staying in the mix for the top four.

Emery is determined for this season’s Champions League campaign not be a one-off.

“We are trying to be competitive on the field and trying to be consistent, building a strong structure in everything,” Emery said on Friday. “We are improving and of course we are trying to increase our budget through Champions League, Premier League and through being intelligent in our capacity to buy and sell players.

“But the budget the others have is more than us. That is the big gap between them and us. I do not speak a lot about it but I think it makes sense, everything I am saying. Then, we are going to try and focus how we can get better, individually with the players, then improve tactically, intelligently when we are deciding to make changes.

“It is not changing one player for another and we are going to sign four players for £50million. We are trying to use our capacity, being intelligent and use our capacity to buy and sell and then try to increase individually and collectively our players and our style being stronger.”