Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce admits he wanted to sign to sign Jeffrey Schlupp

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has admitted he wanted to sign Jeffrey Schlupp who opted to join Crystal Palace from Leicester City.

Sam Allardyce'€™s men announced a £ 9.5 million deal for the Premier League winner on Friday, with the Eagles reportedly beating a number of other interested teams to the Ghana international’s signature.

Villa are expected to bolster their squad this month as Bruce looks to lead the Midlands outfit back to top-flight football at the first time of asking.

Talk of a deal for Nottingham Forest midfielder Henri Lansbury has been rife in the media, while a host of other targets are also being named.

However, the Villa Park boss has confessed that the Championship side made an approach for Schlupp, but the chance for the left-back to stay in the Premier League was too good for him to refuse.

''We tried for but unfortunately with the lure of the Premier League and the wages of the Premier League we've lost out. But that sort of quality is what we're looking for,'' Bruce told The Guardian.

''If you have a chance to play in the Premier League people want to play there and I can understand that too. It is a big draw that we have up our sleeve, that we are desirable and rightly so.

''It was not just one club, it was three. It's disappointing but we move on.''

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