The 22-year-old has two years remaining on his current deal.

He started talks at the end of last season but wanted to wait until the end of the World Cup to complete a new contract.

Villa boss Graham Taylor said: "You want to keep people like Darius and I am sure the club does."

But Taylor said he would not be getting involved in negotiations with Vassell.

"If I personally get involved, with the way the game has moved on and the amounts of money you are talking about, it can affect your relationship with the players," he said.

Vassell is expected to play his first match since the World Cup in Villa's Intertoto Cup semi-final, first leg clash in Lille on Wednesday.

Taylor wants to nurse him back slowly and plans to only use him as a substitute.