Aston Villa manager pours cold water on Adomah transfer as new contract talks surfaces

Aston Villa have no plans of releasing Ghana winger Albert Adomah in January, club boss Dean Smith has revealed.

The Ghanaian only now seems to be getting back into the English Championship side's main set-up under the new manager following a frustrating time under Steve Bruce, which almost prompted a move away to Middlesbrough in the summer.

“I have no thoughts for Albert in January,” Smith is reported as saying by Birmingham Live.

“He is an Aston Villa player and I am enjoying working with him.

“He is one of the nicest fellows I have worked with and he showed some quality last Sunday against Birmingham City before being unfortunately brought down.

“He has been a great lad since I have been here and put in consistent performances.

"With him coming back, along with the likes of Anwar El Ghazi and Jonathan Kodjia, we have some real firepower."

Reports on Sunday say the Claret and Blue Army are set to offer the winger a new contract to put the exit speculations to bed for good.

After hitting 14 goals to win Villa's top scorer and Player of the Year awards last season, a tough start to the current campaign saw him fall out of favour with Bruce, who gave the 30-year-old the green light to seek a move away.

A transfer to Middleborough fell through at the last hour, amid reports of a move in January as Villa would prepare to cash in than lose him on a free when his current contract expires in 2020.

The exit of Bruce and the appointment of Smith has, however, worked in favour of the Ghanaian who is enjoying some form of renaissance under the former Brentford manager.

He has missed Villa's last two games due to injury but a pair of assists in his last appearance for the club makes him one of the team's hottest men at the moment.