Villa keen on Vlaar stay

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert is confident that the Midlands club can keep hold of star defender Ron Vlaar, the Mirror understands.

The centre-back was one of the stand-out performers for the Netherlands at this summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil, playing every minute of a campaign which resulted in them finishing in third place.

He signed for Villa in the summer of 2012 and had gone on to make sixty-five appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals.

Manchester United, now under the management of former Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal, have been linked with a moved for the 29 year old, who has just twelve months remaining on his current deal.

However, Lambert has insisted that talks with the player have gone well, and he fully expects him to be in the side to face Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium in their season opener a week on Saturday.