Aston Villa eye new deals for Douglas Luiz and Ezri Konsa

John McGinn last week became the latest player to commit his future to the club, following Tyrone Mings and skipper Jack Grealish in agreeing extended terms.

Securing the futures of Luiz and Konsa is thought to be next on the agenda with both having proven their Premier League pedigree in recent months.

Midfielder Luiz, a £15million signing from Manchester City in the summer of 2019, has recently broken into the Brazil national team while Konsa’s performances in the heart of Villa’s defence have seen him touted as a future England international.

Asked yesterday about the possibility of the club offering more players new contracts, boss Dean Smith replied: "There will be ongoing discussions with the sporting director, and representatives of our players. That is something ongoing all the time at the club.

“I'm not sure who we're talking to but Douglas is obviously one who I think has a big future at this football club.

“Ezri is another one, but a lot of our players are on long-term contracts anyway. We've got a lot of players tied up looking at the future."

Smith was due to check on the fitness of Ross Barkley ahead of tomorrow’s home match against Burnley with the on-loan Chelsea star nearing a return from a hamstring injury.

But the boss has also been dealt a blow, after it emerged winger Trezeguet will miss several weeks with a hamstring injury sustained in training last week.

The Egyptian international had been a regular in Villa’s team through the opening months of the season but is now set to sit out the entire festive programme.

Luiz will miss the visit of Burnley following his sending-off in Saturday’s win at Wolves, while Matty Cash is also suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season at Molineux.

The right-back was one of six visiting players booked by referee Mike Dean, with Villa facing a standard £25,000 FA fine for picking up more than five yellow cards in one match.