O'Neill "sure" of more new faces

Martin O'Neill today insisted he was "absolutely sure" Villa will make more signings before the transfer window shuts - as Eric Djemba-Djemba's exit made it nine departures since April.

The Cameroon international, who only played a minute under O'Neill, has had his contract canceled by mutual consent despite having two years left on his deal.

He follows Liam Ridgewell, whose £2.25m signing for Birmingham was going through today pending a medical, Juan Pablo Angel, Lee Hendrie, Jlloyd Samuel, Gavin McCann, Aaron Hughes, Steven Davis and Chris Sutton.

And there are doubts surrounding Mark Delaney's future after O'Neill said the player may make a decision on his future.

"In an ideal world I'd liked to have had a couple more players, but I'm absolutely sure we'll have them between now and transfer deadline.

"There are things in place at this moment," said O'Neill.

"I'm in the throes of acquiring more players at the moment. We will have the players in.

"We've lost nine and improved it by two. I'd like the size of squad we had at the end of the season.

"Liam was seeking first team football, Eric has left today.

"It's hard to say how many, but by the end of the window I wouldn't want to be outnumbered in terms of who's come in and out."

As for Delaney, O'Neill said: "Mark may make that decision in the next few days.

"I'd rather anything to be said about that would come from Mark first."

O'Neill added: "Sometimes prices dictate. I don't mind paying slightly over the odds, or paying over the odds in a market where that's what people are doing.

"But sometimes when it's an enormous amount, I'll have to maybe reconsider."

O'Neill, meanwhile, denied Celtic had been in touch over re-signing Shaun Maloney, although Scottish sources insist Hoops boss Gordon Strachan wants him.

"That's not true. I haven't spoken to Shaun about this. Celtic haven't been in touch with me.

"I know he was homesick, but he hasn't intimated to me about leaving," said O'Neill.