Due to their financial uncertainty, a very important summer lies ahead for Aston Villa.

No one quite knows the full consequences of their financial crisis just yet but plenty of players could be leaving the club during the close season.

The Villans need to trim their colossal wage bill to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations and therefore a number of players face uncertain summers at Villa Park.

Steve Bruce will be looking to wield the axe on a few players - if he is still manager come the start of next season - in a bid to ease the monetary worries at the club.

Pre-season will be commencing in a few weeks and Bruce will start running the rule over his squad and deciding who to get rid of and who to keep.

Here are three players walking a tightrope ahead of a crucial period for Villa.

Elphick's future is completely in the balance after two poor years as an Aston Villa player.

In an ideal world for Aston Villa, they would get rid of the 30-year-old defender but after losing John Terry and Christopher Samba - plus likely interest in James Chester - Elphick may have a role to play.

One of Villa's top earners, Lansbury has failed to live up to expectations since his switch from Nottingham Forest.

Aston Villa will hope to get the 27-year-old midfielder off the wage bill but who would take him on £40k-per-week?

McCormack is surely a player who is going to face the axe this summer after managing just three goals since his summer 2016 switch to Villa Park.

The Scottish striker is not in Bruce's plans and getting his hefty wages off the bill will be a relief, if they can find a suitor.