Martin O'Neill is still confident he can bring in new players at Aston Villa.

Villa operated with one of the smallest squads in the Premier League last season and have since lost the services of retired captain Martin Laursen, midfielder Gareth Barry (Manchester City) and defender Zat Knight (Bolton).

His only addition to date is Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing, who will not be fit after foot surgery until December, but O'Neill is being strongly linked with Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas.

He said: “We are obviously going to improve the team. If we are going to try and improve this season then we need some players in.

“I will be expecting that to happen. I am hopeful we will have players coming into the football club. We are some numbers down, but we are looking to put that right.

“I'm not in the habit of letting people go if I didn't think we could do something.”

Villa fans have expressed concern over O'Neill's lack of transfer activity to date.

O’Neill said: “I would not be getting overly concerned at the moment. We have a number of things we are working on and I'm hoping they will bear fruit.”