Aston Villa were hoping to achieve big things this season under Steven Gerrard, however, with faltering results and little consistency, it seems like that dream might have to wait a little longer.

Following the £100m sale of Jack Grealish, both Dean Smith and the 42-year-old were given intermittent amounts of money with which to improve the squad.

The former set about improving the attack last summer, adding Emiliano Buendia and Leon Bailey for £38m and £25m respectively.

Whilst the Argentine has impressed, injuries have hampered the Jamaican’s progress in the Midlands.

But it was his final attacking addition that has disappointed most, with Danny Ings joining for £25m in a deal that was snuck under the radar.

Everyone lauded them for this business, thinking that bringing in the man who had scored 46 times in 100 games for Southampton would surely fire Villa to glory.

However, just nine goals in 40 appearances later and it seems like Smith might have got this one wrong.

Injuries have surprisingly not reared their head for the striker at Villa Park, as they had throughout a career which was dubbed “unlucky”, but still he has never really hit any kind of form for either manager.

This season he has featured in all but two of their Premier League games yet has just one goal and no assists.

Plenty of factors will have contributed to his inevitable downfall in value, as CIES Football Observatory now rates at just €7m (£6.8m).

Gerrard has tried him as a lone striker or alongside Ollie Watkins but just cannot find a style to suit the man that was so lethal for the Saints.

His side has scored just seven goals in nine league games this season and has only scored over one goal in a game once, as they beat Everton.

Gerrard is currently suffering from the failures of Smith with this signing, as he continues to underperform and drain the club of £120k-per-week too.

If his form does not pick up between now and January, perhaps it might be time to cut their losses on this colossal waste of money.