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Aston Villa will not be panic-buying in the transfer window despite the continued troubles in front of goal.

Boss Paul Lambert is expecting a relatively quiet month and he insists that the recent goal drought will not change the club’s plans.

Arsenal striker Yaya Sanogo has been linked with a loan move but those reports are wide of the mark.

Villa are currently focusing on other options and Lambert expects to receive Randy Lerner’s backing if he can identify a reasonably-priced target.

“What you have to watch out for is that you don’t get caught paying well over the top in January,” said Lambert.

“It’s impossible for us to do that but I know Randy will help if he can.

Photos of Villa's 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace

“If it’s not going to hurt the club and we think it will help us, we will look into it.

“You always try to improve in the window if you can.”

While Sanogo is not a player currently on Villa’s wishlist, the club may decide to pursue other temporary deals similar to this time last term.

Grant Holt and Ryan Bertrand both arrived on season-long loan deals last January and Lambert is closely monitoring a number of potential options.

Turning Tom Cleverley’s loan deal into a permanent move is also a decision that Villa must make this month.

They have the Manchester United midfielder until the end of the season at least anyway, but if January passes without an agreement on his long-term future, he could move for nothing to another club when he becomes a free agent in the summer.

Big-money arrivals like that of Darren Bent in 2011 are now a thing of the the past and it’s unlikely Villa will be breaking the bank this month.

However injuries and suspensions have left the claret and blues light on numbers at times this term so Lambert is keen to strengthen his squad.

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