Aston Villa chief executive Tom Fox has said that manager Remi Garde will be given funds in January to strengthen the Premier League strugglers' squad.
Villa have been ever-presents in England's top flight for the last 28 seasons, but are on a club-record 15-match winless league run and in serious danger of being relegated.
Garde and Fox flew out to meet Villa owner Randy Lerner in America this week, with the club rockbottom and eight points from safety.
Fox said that Garde, who has drawn two and lost three games since replacing Tim Sherwood, would have Lerner's full support in next month's transfer window.
"If [Garde] decides he needs something he has the chairman's ear and his support, absolutely," PA quotes Fox as saying.
"The transfer window hasn't opened. Remi has only been here for five games. He will take every game he has to ascertain...I don't think it makes any sense to predict what he might need come January 2. It's not something that I have an opinion on.
"My job is to assist him when he decides there is something he might need. Right now the focus is on the players we have and getting the results in these next games over the Christmas period."
An experienced defender seems to be high on Garde's wishlist, with former Premier League title-winners Ashley Cole and Nemanja Vidic both linked with the Birmingham-based club recently.
Pascal Lemesre
