Striker Marlon Harewood has insisted he is happy to stay and fight for his place at Villa – but admitted his future could be out of his hands.

Harewood has made just four starts this season – three in the UEFA Cup and one in the Carling Cup – and has played just 26 minutes of Premier League football.

Speculation has been rife the £4million man will be offloaded in the January transfer window, with Wolves, Albion, Stoke and Middlesbrough among the clubs linked with a deal.

While Harewood, whose only goal so far this campaign came against Litex Lovech, insists he is thrilled to be a part of Martin O’Neill’s Villa revolution, he concedes a move is possible should he become surplus to requirements.

He said: “I don’t know anything about it (the speculation). At the moment I’m a Villa player, I come in, train and work as hard as possible.

“Obviously I would like to play. It’s good times here at the club and I would like to be a part of it. Hopefully I can get more games, but the team is doing really well.

“Will I be here past January? It’s too early to say. I like it here and I want to stay and try and prove myself. Obviously if it’s time later on in my contract to look for somewhere else to play football then that’s that.

“If the club want to get rid of me then it’s out of my hands. It’s nice to know there are other teams out there that want me, if it’s true, but I don’t really pay much attention.”

Harewood has been used less frequently as a substitute this season, with most of his appearances restricted to short cameo roles when Villa are attempting to see a game out.

He said: “It’s hard. You want to impress and make things happen but you must always do what is right for the team. I got more runs off the bench last season but it’s up to the gaffer.

“It’s not worth getting down, obviously I want to be playing but you will only get upset with yourself. If you have to go on and you are upset that is no good.”