Steve Round hails overhaul of Aston Villa squad
New technical director Steve Round is confident Villa's 'remarkable' summer recruitment has left them well placed to secure a swift return to the Premier League.
A net spend of more than £30million saw the club bring in nine new signings, while 15 players were moved out as new owner Tony Xia gave boss Roberto Di Matteo the backing to overhaul a squad which finished rock bottom of the top flight last term.
Round, who officially joined the club last week, believes the work done by Xia, Di Matteo and chief executive Keith Wyness over the course of the transfer window should lead to a promotion push.
"I am confident, it was a positive summer," he said. "The job that Keith, Tony and Roberto have done has been remarkable.
"To get so many players traded in and out, to bring a healthy squad to Aston Villa, has been very impressive.
"They now need to develop that cohesion, which isn't going to happen overnight, to play attacking and effective football. I have full confidence we will do that."
Part of Round's remit will include an overhaul of the club's scouting department and he wasted little time in making his mark with the axing of much-maligned head of recruitment Paddy Riley, a man blamed by many fans for Villa's disastrous recent record in the transfer market.
