Aston Villa chairman Steve Hollis has delivered an update on the club's sale talks.

Villa will drop out of the Barclays Premier League for the first time in their history having won just three times this season.

Hollis said in a statement: "We are in very constructive negotiations which could lead to the sale of the club to a new owner.

"There has been no shortage of parties who would like to own Aston Villa but our negotiations are now with those parties that we believe will have the passion and ambition to return the club to winning the highest honours in European football.

"The appointment of the manager is at this time inextricably linked to the current negotiations."

Home fans have been protesting against the running of the club and have turned on their own players in recent weeks with Brad Guzan, Micah Richards, Joleon Lescott and Leandro Bacuna targeted.

A statement added: "Throughout a bitterly disappointing campaign our supporters have been the one positive and the Club would like to thank them all for their tremendous support."