Marlon Harewood wants to stay with Aston Villa this season.

Sources close to the player say that he is determined to make the grade at Villa where he still has another two-and-a-half years left on his contract, says the Sunday Mercury.

And at no point has he been told that he is surplus to requirements.

However, he accepts that if manager Martin O'Neill signs more strikers this month and next summer, then he may have to look elsewhere for first team football next August.