O'Leary snubs moves for Dublin

Aston Villa manager David O’Leary has revealed he has rejected several approaches from clubs to sign striker-turned-defender Dion Dublin.

Dublin’s days up front look to be numbered despite finishing leading scorer with 14 goals last season.

Juan Pablo Angel, Darius Vassell and Marcus Allback are ahead of him in the pecking order.

But Dublin has proved invaluable to O’Leary as a makeshift centre-back – an area of the team lacking in depth after the departure of Alpay.

Dublin, whose contract expires in the summer, has impressed against Chelsea and Everton in the absence of Ronny Johnsen who had a hamstring injury and now has an infected toe.

O’Leary said: “He is a player I couldn’t let go. Managers have been coming onto me for the last few months asking about Dion.

“What I’ve been saying to them is ‘Dion is too invaluable to me as a centre-back.’

“He is also a good organiser and one of the better talkers. He’s got a great influence in the dressing room.

“I see his role now more as a centre-back because of the vulnerability we have in that role and he has done very well. “