Hitzlsperger delays deal until O'Leary future sorted

Thomas Hitzlsperger is reluctant to sign a new contract at Aston Villa until the future of manager David O’Leary is sorted out.

Midfielder Hitzlsperger, whose current deal expires in the summer, has been offered a new deal by the midlands club.

The German international is understood to be keen to remain at Villa, despite interest in his native country from Hamburg.

But he wants assurances that O’Leary will also be committing himself long term as negotiations on his new three-and-a-half-year contract have stalled.

O’Leary wants his backroom staff – assistant manager Roy Aitken and fitness coach Steve McGregor – to also be given satisfactory deals which will tie them to Villa until the summer of 2008.

Meanwhile, the Villa boss has warned striker Darius Vassell may not return to action until February as he recovers from his broken ankle.

Vassell suffered the injury against Fulham six weeks ago and initially was pencilled in to make a comeback early in the new year.

But O’Leary admitted: “Darius won’t be playing for a long time yet. I couldn’t give you a date on that. It could be the turn of the year but it could be February.

“I don’t know yet. Darius is making some great progress – but it was always going to be a long-term injury.”