Exclusive: Aston Villa open talks over striker new deal after big development

Exclusive: Aston Villa open talks over striker new deal after big development

Wayne Veysey

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

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Aston Villa are working to tie striker Keinan Davis down to a long-term contract after ensuring they won't lose him on a summer free, Football Insider can reveal.

A Villa source has told Football Insider that the club have bought some time by extending the contract of Davis, 22, but they want to lock him down to a long-term deal.

Initial talks have been held but the two parties are yet to come to an agreement.

Manager Dean Smith has made clear he is a big admirer of the former England Under-20 international and regards him as a key figure in his plans going forward.

However, the young striker's career has yet to truly lift off and a hamstring injury that sidelined him for three months has further disrupted him this season.

Davis came closed to being loaned out to a Championship club last summer after offers were tabled by QPR, Huddersfield, Fulham Sheffield Wednesday, Swansea City and Preston North End.

But Smith put the block on a temporary move and promised Davis he would be given first-team chances.

The striker has made 13 senior appearances this campaign, but none of those were Premier League starts and 10 of them were as a substitute.

Since graduating from the Villa youth set-up, the attacker has made 57 appearances for the club and scored four goals and supplied five assists.

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