Aston Villa to decide next week on Ashley Young contract offer

The 37-year-old is out of contract at the end of next month and boss Unai Emery has confirmed he will be the first player spoken to after he meets with the club’s owners to discuss plans for the summer transfer window.

Young, who rejoined Villa in 2021 a decade after leaving for Manchester United, has started more than half the club’s Premier League matches this season and Emery has previously insisted his age would be no barrier to another contract offer.

Villa host Brighton tomorrow knowing a win would secure a place in next season’s Europa Conference League.

Emery said: “I spoke with him (Young) on Tuesday. I told him we are going to decide after the match on Sunday. We’ll talk with the owners and I will analyse deeply each [player] situation. His contract is finishing and he’s the first player we have to speak with.

“I told him to be first focused on the match on Sunday. We were remembering he played in the Europa League final four years ago for Manchester United against Sevilla.

“He has a lot of experience in Europe, playing in good matches and in good moments in his career. We have the opportunity now to get there again with Aston Villa. Then we we will decide on every individual circumstance in the squad.”

Villa will be active in the summer window as Emery looks to build a squad which can eventually challenge for a top four place, though yesterday the boss claimed the most important players are already at the club.

Emery, who was key to Tyrone Mings being handed a new contract earlier this year, is keen for the futures of John McGinn and Ollie Watkins to be secured with new deals.