Aston Villa transfer news: Tom Heaton and Marvelous Nakamba join Dean Smith’s side as spending spree continues

Smith has now brought in 12 players on permanent deals this summer as Villa look to secure safety upon their top flight return

Aston Villa have continued their summer spending spree by clinching deals for Tom Heaton and Marvelous Nakamba.

Dean Smith now has 12 permanent signings this summer as the club look to avoid relegation upon their return to the Premier League.

Spending has now gone beyond £130 million as Villa look to do more than merely survive.

Heaton and Nakamba ​are the latest recruits, with the former Burnley star thought to have cost £8m, while the Zimbabwean midfielder reportedly cost £11m.

“I am delighted that Tom is joining Aston Villa,” boss Smith told the club website. “He’s done fantastically well for Burnley over the past few years and his experience and knowledge of the Premier League will be a major asset to us this season.

“Marvelous fits the criteria of the type of player we were looking for. He’s very mobile, he’s very good in possession and he will fit in with our style of play.”

Heaton, who was entering the final year of his contract at Burnley, made nearly 200 appearances for the Clarets after moving to Turf Moor from Bristol City in 2013.

The 33-year-old started his career at Manchester United, where he had several loan spells, both in England and at Royal Antwerp in Belgium, before joining Cardiff on a permanent deal in 2010.

(Action Images via Reuters)

Nakamba, 25, was a target for Villa in January while they were in the Championship.

The Zimbabwe international played in France for Nancy and Vitesse Arnhem in Holland before his spell at Club Brugge – for whom he played in the Champions League.

PA Sport also contributed to this report