Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Albion’s plan for Borja Valero sale
Friday 9th July 2010, 11:59AM BST.
Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo will be given the funds from Borja Valero’s sale for as many as FOUR new players before the big kick-off.
The head coach wants the spine of his team strengthened for the Premier League and the prospect of more than £4million coming into his kitty from Villarreal for Valero has been welcomed.
Di Matteo has already added a new central defender to his group by signing Pablo Ibanez from Atletico Madrid but acknowledges there is still much work to be done.
He said: “At the end of last season I said we’d need to strengthen the spine. We would need a centre-half, striker, central midfielder and a goalkeeper too.
“We’ve got a centre half so we need to get a central midfielder in and a striker. These are the three main positions. If we can get some more then fantastic.
“We are still trying to bring people in but you must remember the market has been very quiet.
“That’s the reality – it’s not easy to bring people in. ”
The Valero deal is a long way down the road although Albion are not taking anything for granted and are mindful of the precarious state of Spanish football finances at the moment.
But it’s clear that if a deal for the club record signing broke down, the Baggies would have an unsettled player on their hands following Valero’s stand-out season on loan back to Real Mallorca.
Di Matteo explained: “Borja made it very clear to me that he didn’t want to come back – he wanted to stay in Spain.
“His family didn’t really settle in England. Whatever I raise through sales I can bring to the rest of the team.”
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