O'Neill eager for new recruits

O'Neill: Transfer targets

Even if Gareth had decided to stay, we were still going to address it.

Martin O'Neill on the size of his Aston Villa squad
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Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is eager to begin bringing in new recruits as he prepares for the departure of Gareth Barry.

O'Neill is resigned to losing £18million-valued Barry, who is the top transfer target of Liverpool, and is looking to increase the size of his squad.

Villa had the smallest squad in the Premier League last season as they finished sixth and they have already lost Olof Mellberg, Thomas Sorensen and Patrik Berger, while on loan Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson has returned to Anfield.

And O'Neill, who has been linked with a £15m move for Blackburn midfielder David Bentley, admits that in order to maintain a top-six place Villa will be forced to spend.

"We're hoping to try to add to the squad," said O'Neill. "The players did fantastically last season but we had the smallest squad in the Premier League.

Important

"We wouldn't want that to happen this season so we're going to address it. Even if Gareth had decided to stay, we were still going to address it.

"But now it's even more important to do it than ever. It's the time for anticipation now. Players are back for pre-season training and, with the European Championships out of the way, it's obviously all systems go for everyone."

O'Neill is also aware his squad have to click back into gear quicker than normal as they will be on Intertoto Cup duty in just over two weeks.

He said: "My normal build-up would be a wee bit more leisurely, getting players into it and building into it. But here we have to try and get into competitive mode very early on.

"Now we've got to get ourselves together, get our preparation ready for the Intertoto."