The winds of change are set to sweep through Aston Villa this summer with Dean Smith leading a cull of the playing squad.

The Championship side need to trim their wage budget in order to comply fully with EFL financial regulations and to avoid any sanctions similar to the ones levelled at rivals Birmingham City last week.

That could well lead to high-paid players leaving Villa Park in the summer.

And journalist Alan Nixon suggested that Glenn Whelan, Albert Adomah and Mile Jedinak could all leave come the end of the season as Villa look to cut their wage bill by £13million.

This news will come as no big shock to Villa supporters who would have been hoping for a restructuring of the playing staff at the end of the season.

Regardless of whether they make the play-offs, win promotion, or remain in the Championship, the squad needs work.

Steve Bruce’s assembled group did well to a point, but it has been obvious since Smith arrived that they had passed their best.

And the Villa supporters will be pleased with Smith’s outlook and agree with the players in question who look likely to leave.

All three have rarely featured since the switch in formation, with loan signings and other personnel preferred in their respective positions.

They have no impact on the team’s improvement over the last four games, and their inclusion could be a hindrance going forward and are remnants of a failed Bruce era that need to go.

Villa fans will deem Smith’s actions a necessary evil of the game, and one that is much needed to bring the club’s average age down and introduce players who will have long-term futures at the club.

This could be seen by some of the fans as an end of an era, and an end to the reign of Bruce with three of his stalwarts on the verge of summer exits as the Smith revolution continues and is kicked into high-gear.