We will keep our top stars – O’Neill

Martin O’Neill has revealed Randy Lerner will not hesitate digging deep into his pockets to keep Villa’s star players on board.

Attacking duo John Carew and Gabby Agbonlahor have already been tied down to new deals and O’Neill now hopes to secure the future of another one of his prized assets, Ashley Young, with a lucrative new contract aimed at warding off interest from the top four.

The wing wizard still has another three years to run on his current deal but O’Neill has already made no secret of his desire to reward Young with an improved contract for his excellent displays. Another player Villa ultimately hope to tie down to a new deal is Gareth Barry, but the midfielder’s agent Alex Black has already indicated he will not discuss a new deal until next summer.

However, O’Neill insists the club have every intention of holding on to their big names as he attempts to build a squad challenging for the top four – and he says American owner Lerner is not afraid to pay big bucks to keep their stars at Villa Park.

He said: “The players are really important. What the chairman has done is this: he has come in, had a look at it…we decided in January that we couldn’t get the players that we wanted, so could we see it through to the end? That was a bit of a risk and that was a concern.

“Had we still been in the FA Cup, there might have been a different issue. It wasn’t for the lack of trying during the course of January.

“We were close to a couple of things, but you are never close to anything until it happens.

“That is the bottom line of it all – until it is signed, either exiting or entering, you can never be sure.

“But this time we realise, having had the experience of that, and a great run by a lot of players who played a lot of game – and then you look at other sides who were hit by serious injuries – how it could affect you.

“This is what we are trying to do, but in between times what the chairman wants to do is try to keep the nucleus of the side together.

“He wants to show that we are capable of keeping our players, and if money is the reward at the end of the day – and that we can extend their contracts if they want to stay at the football club – then that’s great.”