© GiveMeSportDean Smith on the sidelines for Aston Villa who have spent big since arriving in the Premier League
Aston Villa have been on an upward trajectory since the appointment of Dean Smith in 2018.
He helped the club gain promotion to the Premier League and has his side competing for European spots this season.
Smith has always been backed by the owners who have been willing spenders under his leadership. He has an expenditure of £230,445,000 on transfers into the club according to Transfermarkt.
This amounts to £11.5m per player since arriving at Villa, who have spent the majority of their financial outgoings after being promoted to the top flight.
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Smith's three biggest Aston Villa signings
Ollie Watkins - £30.6m: Eyebrows were raised when Villa signed Watkins for such a large fee and there is always a risk when signing players from a lower division. The forward had previously worked with Smith at Brentford where he proved his goalscoring ability, which led to a move to the Premier League.
The newly debuted England international is placed seventh among the top scorers in the league with 13 goals so far for Villa. Despite scoring being his main role in the side, his ability to bring others into play and the creative aspect of his game has been important as Watkins has made 1.1 key passes and completed 1.1 dribbles per game.
His exploits this season have been at the forefront of why the club have been so effective in the league, alongside the likes of Jack Grealish.
Wesley - £22.5m: The Brazilian got off to a tricky start at Villa in his debut season last year, scoring five times in 21 appearances. His 2019/20 season ended abruptly due to a cruciate ligament rupture that would see him miss a staggering 366 days, equating to 40 missed games for the club.
His injury woes didn't end there as immediately after recovering in January he faced yet another setback with a knee problem that kept him out until the end of April. The forward has played just 13 minutes this season and will hope to offer genuine backup to Watkins next term.
Tyrone Mings - £20.07m: Mings was signed from Bournemouth and with Smith's guidance has transformed into a mainstay at the heart of Villa's defence. He has been one of the key signings under Smith and has gone on to become an England international.
Mings has formed a strong partnership with Ezri Konsa in Villa's backline and the pair have made 1.1 and 1.3 blocks respectively according to WhoScored. Smith's third biggest signing has also managed 4.7 clearances per game this season.
Three signings Villa could make this summer
Dwight McNeil: Jack Grealish is a man in high demand and if he is lured away from Villa then McNeil could be a shrewd replacement. Even if Grealish stays at the club McNeil can offer depth on both wings and could place less reliance on the creativity of Villa's club captain.
Football Insider have reported that Smith's side are interested in McNeil and could test the waters with a £15m bid.
Axel Tuanzebe: According to previous reports from Football Insider, Villa are keen to sign Tuanzebe from Man United and have made him their top target this summer. Smith has worked with the defender previously, when he was on loan in their Championship promotion campaign.
Tammy Abraham: The Chelsea striker has been out of favour since Thomas Tuchel arrived at the club and according to the Mirror, Aston Villa are monitoring his situation. Abraham is another former Villa player that thrived under Smith, having scored 25 goals during their promotion season in 2018/19.