Birmingham City manager Harry Redknapp has tipped city rivals Aston Villa to be "very strong" contenders for promotion from the Championship this season.
The Villans dropped out of the Premier League in the 2015-16 season but were denied an immediate bounce-back to the top flight last term as an inconsistent season saw them finish 13th in the Championship, 18 points off the playoffs and 32 points behind champions Newcastle United.
This summer, Villa boss Steve Bruce has added experience to his ranks by bringing in John Terry, Glenn Whelan and Ahmed Elmohamady - additions which Redknapp believes will stand them in good stead for the next campaign.
"It hurts me to say it but I think Villa are going to be very strong," he is quoted by the Birmingham Mail as saying. "I would say the favourites would be Middlesbrough, I think they are going to be very strong.
"Sheffield Wednesday, Fulham, Derby - it's full of good teams. It will be such a tough division this year. I think there are 16-17 teams who all feel they have got a realistic chance of going up this year. Wolves, Nottingham Forest - everyone is spending money so it's going to be a tough division.
"You look at Middlesbrough at the moment, they have gone out and brought three strikers over the last couple of weeks. They spent £15m on one, £12m on one, £7m on one - that's without the strikers they have already got from last year, who they probably spent I don't know what on. So they are going to end up with five or six strikers who probably cost £60m - that's what you are competing with.
"Aston Villa have got three strikers who cost. [Ross] McCormack, [Jonathan] Kodjia and the kid from Brentford [Scott Hogan] - you put their total value together and they are probably nearer £40m. That's how difficult it is. There are lots of teams going to have a go getting out of league because the rewards are so fantastic - £200m to be in the Premier League next year."
Redknapp's side begin their season away at Ipswich Town on Saturday.
Neil Wilkes
