JUVE BID FOR MELLBERG
Martin O'Neill has confirmed Aston Villa have received an offer from Juventus for long-serving defender Olof Mellberg.
It could mean the Sweden international will play his last game for the midlands club in Saturday's home Barclays Premier League clash with Blackburn.
The Italian giants were initially thought to be happy for Mellberg to sign a pre-contract agreement and then link up with them when his current Villa deal expires in the summer.
But an injury crisis has prompted them to make an offer - believed to be around £500,000 - in the hope of Mellberg being allowed to leave now.
O'Neill is planning to speak with Mellberg after the Blackburn game and is expected to reveal whether a deal has gone through for the 30-year-old on Monday.
The Villa manager said: "Olof is keeping me in the picture. I have absolute trust in him. I know what is happening. After the weekend we will have a look at some things.
"Juventus have put an offer to us although I haven't seen it yet. I have been told about it.
"That is a natural thing for them to do if they want to sign someone and want to have him in January instead of the end of the season.
"If Olof chooses to go to Juventus in the summer, and is in the form he has shown me so far when playing this season, then great.
"I'll let you know what is happening on Monday. I want to get the Blackburn game, which is really important, out of the way.
"I'll have a better picture on Monday. He is available to play on Saturday."
Mellberg joined Villa from Racing Santander during the summer of 2001 and has operated mainly as a central defender, but this season a lack of right-backs at the club has led to him switching roles.
O'Neill has been linked with Tottenham's Pascal Chimbonda and Rangers' Alan Hutton as possible replacements.
But he said: "If you are asking me if we have bid for the players that you are thinking about and have in your mind, then absolutely not."
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