Aston Villa may count the cost of missing out on Brighton striker Neal Maupay

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Aston Villa kicked off their Premier League campaign with a spirited performance against Tottenham Hotspur.

Dean Smith’s men went down 3-1 but did lead the contest for large parts, before succumbing to three late goals.

There were plenty of positives for the boss to take away, however, and on this evidence, his team should be just fine.

Villa added 13 players during the summer, but an enviable glance elsewhere on Saturday might have left Smith with a small element of regret.

Villa were in the race to sign Neal Maupay earlier in the summer, prior to his £20 million move to Brighton and Hove Albion (BBC Sport).

Instead, they pursued other avenues, landing Wesley from Club Brugge to play as the club’s striker this season.

It could have been the fact that Maupay had not played in the Premier League before that deterred Smith from signing his former player. On that basis that Wesley hasn’t either, that would seem foolish reasoning.

The 22-year-old already looks money well spent for the Seagulls. He netted his first Premier League goal in a 3-0 win for Graham Potter’s men, looking impressive after being introduced as a substitute.

Maupay would have been a dream in Smith’s creative, free-flowing side and £20 million already looks like a steal from Brighton’s point of view.

His ability to instinctively finish chances cannot be taught and Villa could live to regret not landing the exciting Frenchman.