Aston Villa chase Man City's Joleon Lescott

The Scot is determined to recruit proven players this summer despite the uncertainty at a club which is up for sale.

Wantaway chairman Lerner is reluctant to spend with the club on the market but Lambert believes they need at least three Premier League players to avoid serious struggle.

Ex-Wolves defender Lescott is available on a free transfer with his contract at Manchester City expiring next month.

Besiktas also want the 31-year-old but while Lescott will have to take a cut from his £90,000-a-week to join Villa Lambert will try to convince Lerner to fund a move.

The manager is unlikely to have more than £15m to spend but he will push to add some heavyweights to Villa's squad.

"It's up to me to go and get players I think this club deserves. Everything is open because of the 'for sale' aspect of it," he said.

"This club's name alone will be half your selling point. The football club will still attract big players.

"Aston Villa will still attract big players. It has everything, it just needs that stability of what direction it's going to go in.

"As for bringing players in, well it's not going to be easy but I will do everything I can."

It is a departure from Lambert's previous policy of buying young and unproven players from the lower leagues and abroad.

Only Leandro Bacuna of last summer's buys was a limited success while big money signings Libor Kozak and Jores Okore suffered serious injuries.

Nicklas Helenius is expected to leave while Aleksandar Tonev and Antonio Luna struggled in the Premier League.

Lambert was speaking for the first time since returning from America with chief executive Paul Faulkner after meeting with Lerner last week.

He added: "These circumstances are extremely challenging as the club is for sale and as far as I know there is nothing imminent in terms of new ownership, but we're going to roll up our sleeves, prepare for the battle ahead and do our best by the club."