Postma rejects new Villa contract

Postma's career statistics

Stefan Postma has rejected an improved deal to stay at Aston Villa because he wants regular first team football.

Postma, who is goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen's deputy, has been on the transfer list since before Christmas and the 28-year-old is keen to quit.

Agent Piet Buter said: "The club have said they will offer Stefan more money if he stayed as Thomas' deputy.

"But we have explained that it is nothing to do with money. He wants the chance to play first-team games now."

Buter claimed that several clubs at home and abroad would be interested in signing Postma, who cost Villa £1.5m from De Graafschap in the summer of 2002.

Villa will be reluctant to allow Postma to leave for nothing as he still has a year left of his current deal.

Buter said: "There are four or five Dutch clubs interested in Stefan - but he will be too expensive for them - and there could be clubs in England as well.

"I am not sure what Villa will do about a fee because Stefan still has a year to go on his contract but I doubt if they would let him go for nothing."

Postma's only start this season was against Arsenal at Highbury in October when he made several fine saves, despite being on the wrong end of a 3-1 defeat.

Meanwhile, Villa manager David O'Leary has defended his decision to continue to involve Thomas Hitzlsperger in his plans, despite the midfielder having signed a two-year deal with VSB Stuttgart, which will begin in the summer.

Hitzlsperger was recalled to the starting line-up for Saturday's 3-2 win at Southampton and played the entire 90 minutes.

The German international was jeered by fans when warming up for the previous home game with West Brom.

Villa now have two home games in four days against Charlton on Wednesday and Bolton at the weekend but O'Leary believes he is right to feature Hitzlsperger in his plans.

He said: "You don't cut your own throat. I have got Thomas to the end of this season and I will use him in the best way possible.

"I am sure he is not the type of person who will take their eye off things. He is a lovely lad and he will do his best for us until the end of the season."