O'Neill urges Villa fans not to panic

Jun 28 2007 By Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

MARTIN O'Neill has today reassured Villa fans that work is well underway to replace the string of first teamers he has already released this summer.

Villa have lost Jloyd Samuel, Lee Hendrie, Gavin McCann and Aaron Hughes for a combined fee of £2million with Steven Davis also set to join Fulham.

O'Neill is closing in on West Ham's Nigel Reo-Coker, despite late interest from Manchester City, and a flood of other targets are set to follow.

The manager said: "We are looking to strengthen the squad in the next month and we want to be in a position where we can challenge. But I don't want to talk about who those players are going to be at this stage, because there's been a lot of speculation and we seem to have been linked with almost everybody.

"The supporters can rest assured we will be strengthening the squad and we will let them know as soon as there is anything to report."

Meanwhile, O'Neill has wished Northern Ireland skipper Hughes "all the best" following huis £1million move to Fulham.

"I've spoken to Aaron to wish him all the best at Fulham. It was an opportunity he felt he wanted to take and I would like to express my gratitude for his work for Villa. He felt there might be an opportunity for him at Fulham and I understand that."

Hughes has agreed a three-year deal and felt the time was right to move on.

He said: "I made some good friends there (Villa) within the football club and out of it too. I am a little disappointed to be leaving but that's football. You just have to move on and I think it's the right time for me to try something fresh. I am looking forward to moving to Fulham.

"I know the manager from the Northern Ireland set-up. I had a good chat with him before I came. I was impressed with what he was saying and when I looked around I was impressed with what I saw.

"It was time for me to move on and have a go at something new hopefully I can go down there and be a part of a successful side."