Aston Villa will back Dean Smith during the January transfer window, despite calls for the manager to be sacked.
A 3-1 loss to Southampton on Saturday saw Villa drop into the Premier League relegation zone, with Saints leapfrogging them into 17th-place. There has been speculation Smith could be axed after a fourth-straight top-flight defeat, but the board have instead decided to strengthen the 48-year-old's squad.
According to the BBC, the Villans hierarchy are looking to bring in a number of players next month, hoping to make several permanent signings as well as loan arrivals.
Having secured promotion to the Premier League in May, the club went all out to help guarantee their survival, with Manchester United the only first division side to have spent more over the summer.
Villa had a total outlay of £133m in the summer, though not all of their investment has proved wise. England defender Tyrone Mings was purchased for over £20m and has been superb under Smith, but some of his counterparts have struggled to adapt to life in England.
Wesley, who also cost in excess of £20m, has scored on only four occasions during his 18 Premier League appearances, with his last goal coming on 5 October, when the Villans beat Norwich City 5-1 at Carrow Road.
News of their eagerness to spend in January may come as a surprise, given the club are currently failing to meet Financial Fair Play regulations, and could be forced to sell players to avoid being handed a hefty fine by the authorities.
However, that's a penalty Villa may be willing to pay if breaking FFP rules helps them stay afloat in the top-flight.
They may not have the same attitude next term, though. It's understood the Premier League are discussing plans to introduce a points-deduction as punishment for breaching FFP in the future, which would clearly have a greater impact on Villa's fight against the drop.
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Source : 90min