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Transfer talk: Paul Lambert and Randy Lerner to discuss Aston Villa's summer recruitment

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Villa chief Paul Lambert today revealed he will hold transfer talks with chairman Randy Lerner in the wake of Christian Benteke's shock injury.

The claret and blues boss is planning discuss his summer recruitment plans with Lerner in the next few weeks.

His moves will be shaped by the loss of Benteke for at least six months following a ruptured Achilles he suffered last week.

And, after Villa's 2-1 defeat to Fulham on Saturday, Lambert confirmed he is set for talks with owner Lerner.

"I spoke to Randy on Friday and he knows the situation with Christian," he said.

"I think the most important thing is to get through this season and then there will be time to sit with Paul (Faulkner) and Randy and see what's happening.

"I think a club this size needs a big squad and these conversations will happen probably in a few weeks' time."

Aston Villa's Belgium international striker Christian Benteke is out of the World Cup and sidelined for at least six months.

Benteke is the third Villa player to suffer a serious injury this season after Libor Kozak broke his leg and Jores Okore damaged his cruciate knee ligament.

Charles N'Zogbia also suffered a ruptured Achilles training last June but was not expected to be in Lambert's plans.

"If you go through them Okore is nearly a full season, Kozak virtually half a season, Benteke six months or so and Charles," said Lambert.

"So they've been major, major injuries, they're not just strains or anything. Big, big injuries.

"There was nobody near Christian, nothing, nobody near him at all. Jores happened in a match, Charles in pre-season. Libor was just a challenge. In the majority of the cases there was nobody near the lads."