Aston Villa: Aston Villa

Unless they give David some money to play around with I can see him getting very uncomfortable at Villa, and we know how Deadly Doug is...

Aston Villa's Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel is to stay in a Medellin hospital after suffering an infection following a knee operation.

Angel, who netted 16 Barclaycard Premiership goals for Villa last term, underwent surgery 10 days ago in an effort to heal the pain he had been suffering in his right knee.

Doctor Raul Naranjo, who was in charge of the operation, revealed the first week of the 28-year-old's recovery was going well, with the player doing exercises to regain strength in the knee - but then came the setback.

Aston Villa have effectively warned new Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez that the club's Colombia striker Juan Pablo Angel is not for sale.

Benitez is a huge admirer of Angel and failed with a cheeky 500,000 bid to sign Villa's record 9.5million signing last summer when he was in charge at Valencia.

Villa are braced for a fresh approach from Benitez for 28-year-old Angel who has rejected the offer of a new four-year deal worth 8million at Villa Park.

But the club's chief executive Bruce Langham said: "If he doesn't sign, Angel still has two years left on his contract so we are under no pressure."

Angel, who scored 23 goals last season, is currently back in Colombia recovering from knee surgery.

Tromso coach Per-Mathias Hogmo is aware of Aston Villa's interest in star player Morten Gamst Pedersen but does not think any approach has been made by the Premiership club.

The left-winger has attracted the attention of a number of clubs since scoring two goals on his Norway debut against Northern Ireland in February.

Blackburn pulled out after Tromso rejected their bid of around 1.5million, with Villa now expected to make the next bid, likely to be at least 2million.

Reports are claiming that Aston Villa boss David O'Leary is set to try and persuade Chelsea to allow striker Carlton Cole to move to Villa Park on a season-long loan. O'Leary is eager to bolster his striking options and increase competition for first-choice duo Darius Vassell and Juan Pablo Angel.

Peter Crouch, as well as brothers Stefan and Luke Moore, already offer alternatives upfront for The Villans, but it seems O'Leary is keen for a further option.

Cole spent last season on loan at Charlton, but rejected the opportunity to stay at The Valley this term in favour of returning to Stamford Bridge.

St Johnstone have completed the signing of Colin Marshall after the midfielder left Aston Villa.

The 19-year-old was on loan with Saints' Scottish Division One rivals, Clyde, last season.

Marshall told Saints' website: "I had the option of staying a further year with Villa, but I'm keen to play first-team football.

"With a club the size of Villa, there was certainly no guarantee of that or even regular reserve team football."

Aston Villa are playing it cool in their bid to try and persuade star striker Juan Pablo Angel to sign a new contract.

Villa have offered Angel a new four-year deal worth £8m but the deal remains unsigned and talks are deadlocked.

Liverpool's new manager Rafael Benitez is a known admirer of Angel having tried to sign him last summer when he was in charge at Valencia.

Speculation is rife that Benitez could be tempted to make a bid to take Angel to Anfield.

But Villa are in a strong bargaining position as Angel still has two years left on his current deal after the club made it clear they would take up the 12-month option that they hold on the Colombian international.

French club Nantes have refused to allow midfielder Mathieu Berson join Aston Villa in a deal worth 1.5m. The 24-year-old former French Under-21 international is keen to move to England but Nantes want him to stay.

England striker Darius Vassell admitted he was "completely devastated" by the penalty shoot-out defeat against Portugal at the European Championships.

The Aston Villa forward missed one of the spot-kicks as England lost 6-5 after the match ended 2-2 following extra time in Lisbon on Thursday.

The result meant England were eliminated from Euro 2004.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Vassell said: "After spending the past 36 hours trying to come to terms with the immense disappointment of missing one of the vital penalties at the end of the match against Portugal on Thursday night, I would like to express my sincere thanks for the overwhelming support I have received from England fans upon my return to the country.

Marcus Allback has thrown his future at Villa Park into doubt as he prepares to enter the final year of his contract.

Allback, part of the Swedish squad eliminated on penalties by Holland at the quarter-final stage of the European Championships in Portugal, has made it clear that he does not want to spend next season on the bench as the back-up to Juan Pablo Angel and Darius Vassell.

Former French Under-21 international Mathieu Berson is desperate for a move to Aston Villa, according to the player's agent.

The 24-year-old on Monday starts pre-season training with his current club Nantes but he is understood to be keen on making the switch to Villa Park.

"Berson wants to come to Villa, but the two clubs cannot agree a fee," his agent Olivier Jouanneaux told the club's official website, www.avfc.co.uk.

Nantes midfielder Mathieu Berson is still keen to join Aston Villa although the two clubs cannot agree on a fee.

The 24-year-old former French Under-21 star wants to move to England and his agent Olivier Jouanneaux says Villa is his preferred destination.

Villa are being linked with alot of player's, but i can't see them signing too many. They did pretty well last season and i can see them finishing in the top half.

Aston Villa are rumoured to be interested in Juventus midfielder Enzo Maresca - with the Italian media suggesting the former West Brom ace could return to England this summer.

Maresca came through the youth system at West Brom after arriving in the country from his native Italy very early in his career.

Soon after breaking through into The Baggies line-up he was snapped up by Juventus, where he has become a regular after impressing on loan spells at Piacenza and Bologna.

Maresca played 29 times for Juventus last season, including a goalscoring role in the 7-0 demolition of Olympiakos in the UEFA Champions League.

It has been heavily suggested the cultured player will be sold by Juventus after a disappointing campaign, and Aston Villa are believed to lead the list of suitors.

Aston Villa striker Marcus Allback will have talks over his future with manager David O'Leary amid speculation he could leave this summer.

The Sweden ace's career prospects are under a cloud after Villa moved to strengthen their attacking options this summer by trying to bring in Chelsea forward Carlton Cole in a year-long loan deal.

If that moves comes off, it would push Allback down the pecking order and is likely to see him installed as Villa's fourth-choice striker.

Allback has a year left on his contract with Villa and has already admitted that he does not want to spend next season on the bench.

Aston Villa will take Czech Republic central defender Vaclav Drobny on trial, with a view to signing him from French side Strasbourg.

Drobny will join Villa on their four-match pre-season tour of Sweden.

The former Czech Under-21 captain made his full debut against Japan in April but was unable to force his way into their Euro 2004 squad.

The 23-year-old, who is 6ft 3in, moved to Strasbourg in 2002 and played 25 games for them last season.

Czech international defender Vaclav Drobny will start a trial period with Aston Villa on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old Racing Club Strasbourg player is keen to make a move to the Premiership and will be looking to impress Villa boss David O'Leary.

Carlton Cole, moved to Aston Villa on a season-long loan. But Chelsea boss Mourinho was quick to point out that the 20-year-old remains part of his future plans.

Aston Villa star Juan Pablo Angel is planning a celebratory double next season to mark the signing of his new contract.

The Colombia striker intends to improve on last season's 23-goal haul and fire Villa into Europe.

Angel unsurprisingly became the target of speculation after last season's scoring feats, with a number of clubs linked with his signature.

But Angel has put an end to the rumours and pledged his future to Villa for the next four years by signing a new deal understood to be worth around 40,000 per week, concluding almost three months of negotiations.

I freaked out not long ago when it was reported that Liverpool were interested in Angel, it turned out that they had got the wrong Angel. That was a sigh of relief I can tell you.

I think Villa over achieved last season and will probably be mid table finishers this time around, it's the way it always seems to go anyway, especially with cash strapped clubs.