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Aston Villa are ready to take their season's spending past £75million in a bid to secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Boss Steve Bruce has been handed £25m to spend this month.

And his kitty will be further boosted by any money generated by player sales — starting with the £6m from top-flight Middlesbrough for striker Rudy Gestede, who completed his move to the Riverside on Wednesday.

Villa splashed out around £50m in the summer as new boss Roberto Di Matteo overhauled the squad relegated from the Premier League last season by bringing in nine players.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

But Di Matteo was sacked in October and now successor Bruce wants to bring in a keeper, a right-back, a left-winger and a striker.

Norwich full-back/winger Robbie Brady — who Bruce signed for Hull when he was manager there — and QPR goalie Alex Smithies are two of his targets.

(Image: Aston Villa FC via Getty)

Summer signings Ross McCormack, Mile Jedinak and Tommy Elphick are among the men Bruce is open to moving on to make space for his signings.

Despite an upturn in form following Bruce’s appointment and their big summer of spending, Villa are still only 12th in the Championship.

(Image: Getty)

They are a massive 17 points behind second-placed Newcastle in terms of automatic promotion but trail Sheffield Wednesday, who are in the final play-off spot, by just seven and targeting a push for a top six finish.

Promotion specialist Bruce took Hull up via the play-offs last season, and steered Birmingham City into the Premier League by that same route in 2002.