A CHINESE businessman has agreed to pay £60 million for Aston Villa because he thinks it is a large house.

Dr Tony Xia surprised many with his excitement at purchasing the newly relegated club, but it soon became clear he believed he had bought himself a luxurious holiday home.

A club spokesman said: “When he was asked about his ambitions for Villa, he talked about putting in a pool, paving over much of the playing surface and employing Gabby Agbonlahor as his gardener.

“We didn’t expect to become a second home for a Chinese billionaire, but our supporters will accept that it is a vast improvement on last season’s attempt to be a football team.”

The sale of the club has come as a massive relief to American Randy Lerner, who owned Aston Villa for eight years without ever understanding exactly what it was.