Aston Villa are keeping tabs on Wigan Athletic's Lee McCulloch.

The 28-year-old Scotland international scored five goals from 36 appearances from midfield for the Latics last season in their inaugural Premiership campaign.

Rumours surrounding Gareth Barry's future persist and the former England midfielder has been linked with moves to both Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur during the course of the last season.

However, despite Villa's recent sale of the Serpentine Property for £7.31 million, which was used as match day car-parking by the club, funds being made available to David O'Leary are still exceedingly frugal.

The Villa manager has been told that he needs to generate his own transfer funds so the possible purchase of McCulloch appears unlikely unless either Milan Baros, Gareth Barry, Lee Hendrie, Mark Delaney or Mathieu Berson are moved out of Villa Park.