Former Premier League star Darren Bent believes Aston Villa should stick with manager Dean Smith and back him with fundsfor the January transfer window. The west Midlands outfit have slumped to seven defeats from the past nine league games and this had dropped them into the relegation places.

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson has urged manager Jose Mourinho to look into the signing of Tyrone Mings from Aston Villa. The Portuguese tactician took charge of the north London side during the international break and he has since transformed their fortunes with four wins from five games in all competitions.

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith believes his team have been unlucky on their return to the Premier League. The west Midlands outfit have already impressed this season with leads against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal but they have unfortunately not been able to hold onto a result towards the end of the game.

Former Aston Villa and Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo believes Terry has the credentials to step into club management in the coming years. The 38-year-old had been linked with the Newcastle United job earlier this summer but ultimately a deal did not materialise with the Magpies opting to go with Steve Bruce instead.

As a result, Terry continues to remain the deputy to Villains boss Dean Smith but Di Matteo feels the former centre-back will ultimately become the head coach at some club, he said: “If you can sign JT, you get him. He’s a guy who makes things easier for the manager. He, too, will be there as a manager in the future. As a player, he was writing down some of the sessions and he’s now gained so much experience from the managers he’s worked under.”

Aston Villa defender Bjorn Engels has said that Aston Villa’s poor start to the Premier League season has resulted from a couple of dismal 15-minute spells. The west Midlands outfit have already lost against Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth at the beginning of the campaign and they are presently just above the drop zone on goal difference.

In a report covered by Goal.com, Engels said that the mood within the squad is fine despite the successive defeats on the club’s return to the top-flight. He added that the results have come about from a couple of 15-minute stints where they have switched off and hopefully, they can redeem themselves during the forthcoming games, he said: “We'll be fine. He mood is quite good. We played and had two defeats but I think we played good games.

Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings has said that he has been amazed by the qualities of new signing Wesley Moraes. The Brazilian striker joined the Villains from Club Brugge at the beginning of the month and he has already made an impression with the west Midlands outfit during their ongoing pre-season campaign.

Moraes recently starred in the 5-1 friendly triumph over Walsall, where he scored a brace and speaking after that game, Mings acknowledged that the striker can be a handful with his height and physique, he told Sky Sports News: “He's a handful! He's a very strong guy, a very big guy, technically he's very good. I think he offers us something different and I think he'll add a lot to the team. He's a striker, a number 9, something which you don't see too much of these days. I may have given him a few 'Welcome to Aston Villa' tackles - but he gives as good as he gets!”

Former Tottenham Hotspur ace Darren Bent believes Newcastle United will have contacted John Terry regarding the managerial vacancy at the club. The 38-year-old has been the assistant at Aston Villa for the past 12 months but he has been fancied for the head coach role after watching fellow compatriots Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard step into club management with reasonable success.

Speaking to Football Insider, Bent said that Terry will be itching to step into the managerial role but he may still consider twice before parting ways with the Villains this summer, he told: “It’s a tough one because all the young managers are in jobs at the moment. You’re going to find number twos out there, like the John Terry’s or people like that, who are itching at the bit.

John Terry has expressed his delight after extending his contract with Aston Villa for the next couple of seasons. Terry’s assistant position with the Villains had come under question with his contract expiring at the end of the month but he has now decided to commit his future by penning a two-year deal with the west Midlands side.

Speaking to the club’s official website, the former Chelsea captain said that he is thankful to the club’s board and manager Dean Smith after being handed the chance to work with them. He added that the Villains are now heading for a testing challenge and they must prepare for the same as they seek to beat the Premier League drop at the first coming.

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has indicated that Jack Grealish won’t come on the cheap for his suitors irrespective of whether the Villains get promoted or not. The Villains skipper penned a fresh five-year deal with the club in September and he has since played an influential role in the club’s progress to the Championship play-off final for the second-straight season.

Speaking in a press conference, Smith highlighted that the midfielder committed to the club on a new long-term deal at the beginning of the season and that has put them in a strong position to command a significant sum for a future sale, he said: “He’s signed a brand-new contract at the start of the season, committing himself to the football club. He loves Aston Villa and he’ll want nothing more than to get promoted with Aston Villa. If we don’t go up he’ll cost someone a hell of a lot of money if they want to buy him. He is committed to Aston Villa and we’ve not even spoken about it otherwise.”

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has hailed the performance of goalkeeper Jed Steer as the Villains progressed to their second-straight Championship play-off final. The Villains faced off against arch-rivals West Bromwich Albion during the playoff semi-final where they progressed on penalties after the scores were level (2-2) after both legs.

Speaking after the game, Smith praised the impact of Steer, who had spent time on loan with Charlton Athletic during the first half of the season, he said: “It’s amazing what can happen and how opportunities arise. Orjan was doing well but snapped his Achilles and the phone call went in to get Jed back and he’s been brilliant for us.