Remi Garde is keen to stay on as Aston Villa manager after this season but wants assurances from the club he will be given money to spend.
Garde, in an interview with French radio station RMC, also admitted Villa "might be in the Championship next season" but intends to stay even if they are relegated, reports Sky Sports.
"I'm prepared to stay in this club if there are the [financial] means to go up," said the Frenchman, who has a contract at Villa Park which runs until 2019.
"As everyone knows Aston Villa's a big club and very prestigious in England. From the outside it remains prestigious - but when you're on the inside there's much, much work to be done.
"But if I'm given the means then obviously it's a project that could interest me."
And he added: "We'll talk again in the summer. The club's been fighting relegation for four years. The squad and players have potential but the squad is small.
"We might be in the Championship next season. The American owner has lost £300m. He wants to build something different.
"My aim in the short term is not to return to France. I have nothing against France, but I like a lot what happens here. We will see about a return much later."