Sign up NOW for our daily Villa newsletter direct to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Manager Paul Lambert will spend the coming days trying to build a squad for next season with one hand tied behind his back.

The embattled manager does not have a war chest with which to rebuild his squad and must try to convince owner Randy Lerner to allow him to bring in free transfers.

Villa have been linked with a move for free agent Joleon Lescott and more fancifully Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez.

Lambert will also face several weeks of speculation about some of the club’s leading players, some of whom like Gabby Agbonlahor and Fabian Delph have just a year left on their contracts.