Need Investment

[andy villa]

David O'Leary will tell Aston Villa chiefs he needs funds to sign four quality players this summer if they want to break into the top six.

O'Leary has only 16 senior players in his squad, with four of those - Mark Delaney, Marcus Allback, Nolberto Solano and 21-goal leading scorer Juan Pablo Angel - currently sidelined through injury.

The former Leeds boss has performed a 'miracle' this season to transform Villa into a side in with a chance of a European spot after admitting he was told to "asset strip the club'', and 12 players have left since his arrival 11 months ago.

O'Leary has made it clear that he will not "spit his dummy out'' if he has to be content with the current projected summer budget of a meagre £1.5m.

But he also knows that Villa could easily become a club battling to stay in the top flight - they finished 16th last season - without the necessary financial clout.

O'Leary wants to sit down with new chief executive Bruce Langham and work out a five-year working plan as soon as he returns from holiday to take up his post next month.

He said: "We are over-achieving this season, getting the best out of everyone - but it will be very hard to maintain that next season if we stay with the same players.

"We are in the middle pack of nine or 10 clubs in the Premiership, having moved out of the relegation pack, but all of those clubs are going to invest a great deal in the summer.

"Being a one season wonder could easily happen. That's why you need to invest.

"If I am told by the new chief executive that there is no money to invest, then David O'Leary is not going to spit his dummy out.

"What we will be facing again though is a survival season. If we over-achieve again like this season, then great.

"But we could easily have a situation where we could be lower down like, for example, Everton who did well last season.''