Steve Bruce: Christian Purslow hiring another big statement from Aston Villa's new owners

Purslow’s appointment was confirmed yesterday and one of the 54-year-old’s first tasks will be taking charge of contract negotiations with Jack Grealish.

The former Liverpool CEO and Chelsea managing director has also joined Villa as a minority investor, though it remains unclear at this stage what percentage stake in the club he has taken.

Bruce reckons his arrival is a further sign of the ambition Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, the billionaire duo who became the club’s majority shareholders in July.

The boss said: “The club is in good hands with the owners who have showed their intent with the people they have brought in.

“To hire a CEO who has been at Chelsea and Liverpool, it shows everything about what the owners want.

“You could write a book on what has happened over this summer. In the 10 weeks since the play-off final, it’s been quite remarkable.”

Bruce met Purslow, who replaces Keith Wyness as CEO, for the first time yesterday at Bodymoor Heath yesterday.

The co-founder of private equity firm MidOcean Partners, Purslow left Liverpool in 2010 having helped to facilitate the £300million sale of the club to current owners Fenway Sports Group.

Joining Chelsea in 2014, he negotiated a number of lucrative commercial deals, including a £900m agreement with sportswear firm Nike before leaving last year.

In a joint statement, Sawiris and Edens said: “We are tremendously excited to bring someone of Christian’s calibre and experience into the club.

“This is an important step on our journey to return Aston Villa back to the elite of English football.”

Talks with Grealish are expected to move up a gear next week, with Villa willing to make the 22-year-old one of their top earners.

“We said to Jack that when the transfer window closes, we’ll have the conversation,” said Bruce. “That will be one of his (Purslow’s) first jobs.”