By Ryan Ghee
February 27 2006

Aston Villa boss David O'Leary has told unsettled defender Mark Delaney that he will be offered an extended contract if he impresses over the next twelve months. Delaney confessed that he was 'deeply disappointed' by Villa's offer of a just a 12-month contract earlier in the week and claimed that he was resigned to a future away from Villa Park.

However, speaking today, O'Leary said, "This is not an unusual way of doing things nowadays. We don't want Mark to go and if he proves himself he will be rewarded again with another deal."

Referring to the defender's comments earlier in the week, the Villa boss responded, "Mark's comments have been very disappointing. It's always disappointing when a player makes his comments through the media.

"There is a player and agent who signed this contract three years ago so they can have no complaints when we take up the option.

"Take a great player like Dennis Bergkamp. He has been signing one-year extensions for years and there are no complaints from him."