Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill will spend today in talks with Olof Mellberg over his future at Villa Park.

He said: "I will speak to him after the Chelsea game when I get a chance before the new year to get his viewpoint. There are several different things that go into signing a contract.

"There's the contract itself, the length of the deal, then there's the player's desire. What does he think?

"By the end of the season, Olof would have been here seven years and from my point of view, he's never been a moment's trouble.

"He's played right-back for us when he's essentially a centre-half, he might be concerned that because we've got a number of centre-halves on the books, will he get back in there if we get a recognised right-back? So he has all those things to consider."

Even considering Villa's desire to keep Mellberg, O'Neill cannot promise the Swede a first-team place.

"I'm not going to guarantee anything to anyone," he said.