Express & Star

No sale deal reached as Randy Lerner turns attention to Aston Villa's football matters

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Randy Lerner today revealed no deal is in place to sell Villa but insisted the process remains "ongoing".

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The chairman is still searching for a new buyer eight weeks after officially announcing the club was on the market.

Boss Paul Lambert, his squad and new assistant Roy Keane returned for pre-season training today ahead of the new Premier League season next month.

Lerner is looking for between £150m-200m to end his eight-year reign as Villa's owner but is yet to sell up.

He said: "While the sale process has been productive and remains ongoing, my priority at this point in the summer, heading into the upcoming season, is that the Villa organisation's sole focus be football - undistracted by any sales process.

"Given that no agreement has as of yet been reached, I feel that it is time now to turn my full attention back to Villa matters at hand.

"Over the last eight weeks we conducted a targeted process during which we explored the sale of the Club.

"In advance of this process however, I committed to our manager to become completely focused on the upcoming season should there be no agreement to sell by the time players and coaches return to training.

"Reverting to common practice, I do not intend to comment further on a potential sale or related rumours unless and until I have reached a definitive agreement to sell, at which time I will be prompt and clear."