Martin O'Neill will spend the next week assessing the current players at his disposal while American billionaire Randy Lerner prepares to step up his bid to buy Aston Villa in the next 48 hours.
O'Neill is in close contact with Lerner and spent two successive evenings with the owner of NFL side Cleveland Browns when he came to England to hold talks with current owner Doug Ellis.
Lerner, the favourite of the four consortiums bidding to take control at Villa Park, is expected to make a formal bid and, if all goes to schedule, is set to be formally installed as the new owner by early September.
O'Neill would then have the funds at his disposal necessary to transform Villa into a major force but he is currently watching his new charges who fought out a goalless draw with Hanover 96 in Germany.
The former Celtic boss was accompanied by new assistant manager John Robertson and coach Steve Walford who were also with him at Leicester City and Celtic.
O'Neill said: 'I will have a better idea about the squad by the time we have finished the tour.'
