Aston Villa's desperation to secure their status as a regular Premier League club encouraged both good and bad decisions.

Whilst it was likely this constant fear that drove them to avoid the drop on a few occasions, it also resulted in plenty of poor purchases that would have left the club financially hamstrung had they not received a British transfer record for their captain.

Jack Grealish's £100m sale offset plenty of their previous transfer blunders, namely those that Dean Smith had committed. The man who had marched them to Championship promotion had earned the right to tackle the top division, but it was clear at times his transfers were decidedly lacking.

This culminated in numerous failed attackers entering Villa Park and swiftly being moved on, with the hope it would be brushed under the carpet.

However, one such example where the jury is still out is with Bertrand Traore.

Having signed three years ago and starred in his debut campaign, a string of tactical shifts saw his career in the Midlands wane. He was subsequently loaned out, but with Unai Emery recently recalling him, it remains to be seen whether he could turn around a stuttering career at the club.

How much has Bertrand Traore cost Aston Villa?

Acquired in a year of vast change, where the likes of Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez also joined, the winger somewhat went under the radar as he was brought in for £17m.

It was a quietly large expenditure, but with pedigree starring for Ajax and Lyon, it seemed like a deal that could work out for Smith; especially when he posted seven goals and seven assists in that first campaign.

However, in the year and a half following, the Burkina Faso international is yet to score or assist in all competitions. Across 50 games now for the Villans he still remains with the 15 goal contributions he earned in that sole season.

The £78k-per-week wide man did suffer from a switch in formation from his first boss, with Steven Gerrard freezing him out further due to his system preferring the width to come solely from the full-backs.

It is a searing indictment of the clueless recruiting of both players and managers, that did not align with the squad that was there. It turned what seemed like a promising signing into something of a failure.

His initial fee only serves to scratch the surface too, as his two years present at the club actually reveal the true sum of his transfer. In total, Traore has now cost Villa £25m and will continue to do so until either he is sold or his contract expires in 2024.

It has been a tumultuous 131 weeks in all honesty for the winger, who has often been a victim of the ever-changing nature of a club vying for some consistency. Even at international level, the 27-year-old was branded a "poor lad" by podcaster Ty Bracey after he had conceded a penalty right after assisting an opener.

Whilst Emery threatens to hand him a lifeline to get his career back on track, thus far the trickster, who has flattered to deceive in Claret and Blue, must be labelled a drain on the club.