Premiership: Taylor wants answer on Angel future

Aston Villa manager Graham Taylor is urging record signing Juan Pablo Angel to decide whether or not he wants to stay at the club.

Taylor admits the uncertainty over Angel’s future is giving him a king-sized headache as he looks to rebuild his squad for next season.

He wants the Colombian international to stay but knows he needs to set the wheels in motion to fill his boots should Angel ask to leave.

The former River Plate striker was unhappy at the way he and his wife were treated by the club when they first arrived in England mid-way through last season.

Taylor admitted: ‘‘I wish it was clearer in my own mind. I would like Juan Pablo to stay and I would like him and his wife to say ‘yes, we’re happy, we’re staying.’

‘‘But if he is not doing that then I’ve got to be looking elsewhere. Even someone with half a brain would agree that’s what we have got to do.

‘‘I’ll be pleased when the season comes to an end and we can see how these matters are going to be resolved.’’

Taylor added: ‘‘It is a problem when one of your better players, like Juan has become, is indicating that in the summer he’ll probably want to leave.

‘‘What do you do? I could chop him out of the team - but the object is to try and make him stay.

‘‘I have to say that I’ve found this more difficult to handle as the season has gone on.

‘‘It’s very difficult to know whether to keep playing him. Perhaps we should play Bosko Balaban instead.

‘‘Come the close season, I hope a lot of things are clarified and it won’t be so confusing.’’

Angel is Villa’s top scorer with 15 goals this season but he has struggled to reproduce his best form since the departure of John Gregory to Derby.