Villa tie down Lambert deal despite owner Lerner looking to sell

It is fair to say that Aston Villa have somewhat shocked many this term so far, as they find themselves up in second place in the Premier League after four games.

The season is still young, but the club have already decided to reward manager Paul Lambert, by handing him a new four-year contract (until 2018), which he has signed.

Villa are unbeaten in the league this campaign (along with just Chelsea and Arsenal), and have gained three clean sheets, conceding just once – fewer than any other club. They are now decent 9/4 chances to finish in the top 10, which is far more likely than their odds for relegation at 5/1.

Scotsman Lambert, who only managed to keep the Villans in the Premier League last season by five points, spoke of what it meant to him and the club on signing his new deal.

“I’m delighted to have the support of our chairman, Randy Lerner, and Tom Fox, our new chief executive, and I’m determined that we continue building the club to where we all want it to be,” he said. “We can look to the future with real optimism.

“This is a massive football club, a fantastic football club. I knew the first two years would be tough but we’ve made progress and now we’re beginning to see the benefits of all of that hard work.

“We’re in a much healthier position on and off the pitch and, with a continued sensible approach, we believe we’re on the right road to build upon the strong start we’ve made this season in the Premier League.

“The bar had to be raised, everyone has stepped up and there will be continued improvement,” he added. “We can look to the future with real optimism and a determination to make this season successful, and the seasons that follow.

“On a personal note I’d like to express my thanks to the chairman for his continued support and to the fans who have been really supportive towards myself, the staff and, most importantly, the team.”

Former Norwich City boss Lambert’s contract extension follows new deals to two of his players Gabriel Agbonlahor and Alan Hutton, who have signed on for four and three more years respectively.