Wright-Phillips move ruled out

Villa boss Martin O'Neill has ruled out a sensational swoop for Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips - as Cardiff put the feelers out for Mark Delaney.

Wright-Phillips has been heavily linked with a move to Villa all summer and it was thought O'Neill was continuing to monitor events at Stamford Bridge.

But O'Neill is adamant he won't be making another pitch for the England international, who he tried to lure to Villa Park on loan in January.

"I won't go into any other specifics, but that's not true. To be perfectly honest I don't think it will happen at all," said O'Neill.

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Wright-Phillips has been heavily linked with a move to Villa all summer and it was thought O'Neill was continuing to monitor events at Stamford Bridge.

But O'Neill is adamant he won't be making another pitch for the England international, who he tried to lure to Villa Park on loan in January.

"I won't go into any other specifics, but that's not true. To be perfectly honest I don't think it will happen at all," said O'Neill."That seems to be coming up all the time and I don't know why. But the truth is I haven't even inquired about him.

"We did in January, but we were led to believe by Chelsea he wanted to fight for his place.

"So I've done absolutely nothing since about it. I won't be pursuing it. We need to strengthen. I've said it before the chairman has been very supportive.

"Nothing's going to happen until I get back from America. We've got a couple of things we feel might come through."

O'Neill has revealed his defence is now a priority to strengthen after he was left with just Delaney as right-back cover.

"We need to strengthen defensively first of all," he said. "At the moment, if players stay fit, we have enough options from an attacking perspective.

"Defensively we need to get some players. I want to try to get value - I don't work on the assumpion if I can bring six players in and three of them work, then that's good."

Delaney is contracted to the end of September as he battles back from a serious knee injury.