Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill says he never made any approach to try and muscle in on Birmingham's territory in regards to Nikola Zigic.

The Serbian giant joined the Blues on a four-year deal recently but rumours have emerged, via Zigic's agent Milan Casalan, that Villa tried to swoop for him under their midland rivals noses.

O'Neill said that was simply not the case, telling the club's official website: "There's not a grain of truth in the story that we've put in an offer for the player and I don't know where it's coming from.

"I don't even know the player's agent."