Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood has admitted he is absolutely thrilled with Fabian Delph's decision to remain with the club.

The Villa captain was poised to depart the West Midlands club to join Manchester City who had triggered his £8million release clause.

Delph, 25, had reportedly told chief executive Tom Fox that he wanted to join City so he could vie for Premier League titles and compete in the Champions League but has since had a change of heart at the last minute which has delighted Sherwood.

"He had an opportunity to join Man City and he weighed up his options and decided to stay with us, which we're obviously all delighted about," Sherwood told AVTV.

"We are looking to build something here and we're looking to keep our best players. Fabian is certainly one of those. "It's just an example of the measure of the guy really that he decided to stay – the loyalty he's shown to the Aston Villa fans, the football club and the chairman. And I'm delighted to have him next season."