Villa seek new shirt deal

Aston Villa are now looking for a new shirt sponsor after confirming their existing deal with DWS Investments will not be renewed.

There was an option to extend the arrangement beyond the end of the current season but, following a recent takeover of the financial company, it will not be taken up.

Villa are now in discussions with other potential sponsors but are in no immediate hurry to find a replacement.

Commercial director Stuart Ryan said: “This is not a case of DWS pulling the plug on our deal. The initial deal was over a two-year term and that expires at the end of the season.

“There was an option to extend that deal, but that’s not now beneficial to either DWS or Aston Villa. They are now under new management – Aberdeen Asset Management – and we move on.

“We’ve already spoken to several interested parties and we’re very relaxed about the situation. There’s no panic about this at Villa and any suggestion that this is a major problem is extremely wide of the mark.”