Roberto Di Matteo wants to trim Aston Villa's bloated squad
Roberto Di Matteo is ready to start trimming Villa's bloated squad as he continues preparations for the Championship campaign.
The manager has added three new players to the men he inherited following the club's relegation from the Premier League and will now turn his attentions to outgoings with the new season now less than four weeks away.
Di Matteo is yet to decide on who will depart though several players are attracting the attentions of other clubs, among them Ashley Westwood and goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who are targets for Burnley and Middlesbrough respectively.
Defensive pair Micah Richards and Ciaran Clark meanwhile both have £5million release clauses, while Scott Sinclair remains a target for Celtic. Defender Tommy Elphick, midfielder Aaron Tshibola and goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini have been signed by Villa so far and though reports of a bid for Bristol City's Jonathan Kodjia are thought to be premature, Di Matteo is keen to add two new strikers.
He said: "Probably over the next two or three weeks I need to look at getting some players out. I want to trim the squad. I don't want as big a squad as we have now."
