Aston Villa ready for fresh attempt to sign Sylvain Distin

Jul 26 2009 By Mat Kendrick

Hart said Distin had not asked to leave yet but if another Villa offer is rejected they may choose to try and force an exit.

“I don’t want Sylv to leave – I have told him this – and I believe he wants to stay at the football club,” Hart said.

“He’s got ambitions, like we all have, but we have got to be competitive this year. That’s the important word, we have got to stay in this division.

“He’s been great, not one ounce of trouble, not bothering me, not knocking on the door. We want him to stay desperately as well.”

Centre-back Knight, who has won two England caps, joined Villa in the summer of 2007 from Fulham in a £3.5million deal but struggled for regular first-team football, starting just 13 Premier League games last season.