Tyrone Mings setting his sights on silverware with Aston Villa

The centre-back believes winning silverware is the next step for Unai Emery’s team, as they look to follow up last term’s seventh-placed Premier League finish.

That secured the club’s return to Europe for the first time in more than a decade and success in the Europa Conference League, won by West Ham last season, is among Villa’s primary targets for the new campaign.

Centre-back Mings said: “To win a trophy is the next step for us. We want to qualify for Europe again next year, hopefully by being in the top four, being in the top six and by winning the Europa Conference League. I think it’s an exciting time as it gets closer to the season.

“We’re in a good place, we are on an upward trajectory, we are signing some really exciting players, we have a good squad and we’re looking forward to Europe. We have a great manager and the fans are hopefully excited for the season because the players certainly are.”

Villa complete their pre-season tour of the USA tomorrow when they face Brentford in Maryland (kick-off 5pm).

They then face Lazio at Walsall’s Poundland Bescot Stadium on Thursday, before travelling to Spain to take on Emery’s former club Valencia in their final warm-up match.

Villa begin the Premier League season away at Newcastle on August 12.