Remi Garde will stay if Villa back him in summer

Remi Garde says he would be willing to stay at Villa should they are relegated – if he is given the financial backing needed to succeed at the club.

The French boss is planning to assess his position in the summer after becoming frustrated at the club's failure to land any of his January transfer targets.

Garde had wanted to bolster his squad with the signings of Arsenal right-back Mathieu Debuchy, who went to Bordeaux, and strikers Seydou Doumbia and Wahbi Khazri who instead opted to join relegation rivals Newcastle and Sunderland respectively.

Garde raised speculation about his future in the aftermath of Villa's transfer window signings blank.

But he could be enticed to stay with the right backing if, as expected, relegation is confirmed.

Speaking to French radio, Garde said: "We'll talk again in the summer.

"I'm ready to stay if the club gives itself the means to get up again.

"The club's been fighting relegation for four years. The squad and players have potential but the squad is small.

"We might be in the Championship next season. The American owner has lost £300million. He wants to build something different.

"On the outside Villa are a prestigious club. On the inside there's a lot to do.

"My aim in the short term is not to return to France.

"I have nothing against France, but I like a lot what happens here. We will see about a return much later."

One man who has been impressed with Garde's work is former Villa boss Paul Lambert.

"I think he comes across really well, Remi," Lambert said. "He handles the pressure at the club really well. It's a massive club and it doesn't deserve to be where it is.

"It should be competing at the right end of the table, a club of that size should never be in the position it currently finds itself. A team that has won the European Cup should never stoop to those depths."