Aston Villa winger Ashley Young insists his head hasn't been turned by talk of interest from Real Madrid.

He told the Daily Mail: "I'm playing week in, week out. I might not get that elsewhere. The fact is I'm just delighted that I'm here. The manager and chairman have said that the club will kick on. And I believe it will.

"The gaffer came to me and asked me about a new deal, but he didn't have to do that. I had two years left. They didn't need to come to me. And he is one of the top managers in the Premier League, if not the world. He was one of the main reasons I joined the club. I want to repay him."

And for once, he isn't joking.

"Mind you," he adds, "I've been hammered about that 'genius' thing. Steve Sidwell is going on about it non-stop."