Aston Villa v Wolves: Steve Bruce insists his focus remains on the pitch despite questions over rivals' recruitment policy

An already important showdown at Villa Park has been given extra spice during a week in which the visitor’s relationship with super-agent Jorge Mendes has come under intense scrutiny.

Villa are among several clubs thought to have voiced their concerns to the EFL over Mendes’s perceived influence at Molineux and Bruce hinted at his own dissatisfaction with the situation yesterday.

The Portuguese has a long-standing relationship with Wolves owners Fosun and is the agent of head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, in addition to star players including Ruben Neves and Ivan Caveleiro.

The league announced on Thursday they will meet Wolves in order to reiterate the rules with regard to third-party ownership.

Villa’s concerns are heightened by their own situation with regard to Financial Fair Play, with Bruce having been forced to work on a tight budget for the past three transfer windows. It is understood a potential Villa move for Leo Bonatini fell through last summer due to the finances involved, with the striker later signing at Molineux.

Wolves also broke the Championship transfer record by splashing out £15million for Ruben Neves. Amid all the talk, Bruce insists his focus has remained on the game itself as Villa look to keep pace with their promotion rivals.

“Wolves have some outstanding players who have played on a different level to the Championship,” he said

“We are a little bit envious of that, all of us are. It is why the questions are being asked about how they have got them and how they are paying for them?

“All I am interested is how can we beat them? How can we haul them in?”

Villa have spent just £2.9million in fees over the last two transfer windows – while making a profit of almost £20million on player sales last summer.

Bruce said: “I wasn’t able to buy any players because we’ve adhered to rules. That’s our club and that’s the way it should be and we accept it.

“I didn’t like it when (chief executive) Keith Wyness was telling me ‘you’ve got no money and you’ve got to wheel and deal’ so it became more difficult but we adhered to the rules.

“They (Wolves) have got a lot of good players and that’s why they’re at the top of the league.

“They’ve invested well and bought well. How Wolves have done it I’m not too sure. That’s for other people to ask.”