Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has shared the latest information on the West Midlands outfit's transfer plans for the summer ahead of the window opening on 10 June.

What's the story?

The Villa boss was a pundit for BT Sport over the weekend covering Liverpool's Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid and admitted that he will be 'on the phone' over the coming weeks as the 41-year-old looks to assemble a competitive squad.

"We have tried to get in while people are sleeping and try to make some big pieces of the jigsaw," Gerrard told BT Sport, as quoted by Birmingham Live. “We are really happy with where we are right now.

"Of course, I will be on the phone doing what I need to do and I am really looking forward to a full pre-season and I am optimistic for next year.”

Villa have already completed three major deals before the window officially opens with Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos all being announced as permanent Aston Villa players.

Supporters will be ecstatic

It will be music to the ears of Villa fans to hear their manager said such positive words.

Although there were highs and plenty of signs of quality, the season was far too inconsistent for the Villans, with Gerrard's side eventually finishing 14th, three places lower than last season.

The ex-Rangers manager took over from Dean Smith in November but will now finally have the opportunity to construct his squad how he would like with the upcoming summer transfer window his first in the Villa hot seat.

It's no secret that Gerrard, as well as NSWE, has ambitious plans for the football club with money certainly there to be spent as seen with the captures of Coutinho and Carlos with Kamara joining on a free transfer.

Numerous high profile players have been linked with a move to Villa Park this summer, with Luis Suarez mentioned as a potential target, and to have a manager who is so switched on whilst being very well connected from his playing days will certainly have Villa supporters ecstatic.

AND in other news: Forget Carlos: Villa must now seal swoop for "astonishing" £25m star, Gerrard needs him