Aston Villa are expected to be going for the top half of the Premier League at the very least next season.

Expectations were high for 2022-23 before the triple captures of Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos. Villa have strengthened the spine of their side significantly since the end of the season and more arrivals are expected, with a striker potentially on the way.

Steven Gerrard and Villa owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens are united in their aspirations for a challenge for a place in the European spots next season and already the club's recruitment is setting them up for a big season. However, they will have some serious competition in the hunt for a return to European football after over a decade away.

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West Ham United in seventh finished on 56 points, 11 ahead of Villa and in eighth were Leicester City on 52 in a campaign that has been a disappointment given the lofty standards they have set in recent seasons. Meanwhile Newcastle United are flush with cash and have their own designs on breaking into the established top six.

There is a lot of competition for a limited number of places, but Villa will give it a good go. Villa's activity in the transfer market is something that City boss Brendan Rodgers saw coming.

"The challenge here becomes even greater next season,” Rodgers told LeicestershireLive. "There will be a number of clubs who will spend. There will be the so-called top six clubs, plus others who we know will invest. It's going to be a big challenge.

"I certainly see Villa as one of those teams. They have made it clear with the money they have spent since coming back to the Premier League, bringing Steven in and supporting him with the players who have come in. "It's very clear that's what they want to do (qualify for Europe).

"It's all to do with investment. "Newcastle will invest heavily in the summer to bring in a number of quality players, so they are of course going to be challenging.

"Villa you would say so as well. West Ham, you hear about them going to invest money also. So clearly there will be more teams challenging for sure."

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