Aston Villa assistant manager Roy Aitken has played down speculation that Czech Republic striker Milan Baros is set to leave the Premiership club in the summer.

The player’s agent claimed at the weekend that Baros, who joined Villa last summer from Liverpool for £6.5m, had a clause in his contract, which would enable the former Liverpool striker to quit the club after the World Cup.

Aitken has confirmed that the clause exists but says that any interested clubs would need to bid at least £20m (€28 million) to activate the contractual sell-on condition.

He told the media: “There's a massive sell-on clause on Milan, like there would any top player.

“As far as we’re concerned, Milan Baros is settled in the area and he’s very happy at Villa - there's no problem with him at the club. Milan was bought as an investment because we saw his ability on the pitch.”

Baros is Villa’s top scorer this season with 10 goals in 24 start’s, but is, according to some sources, unsettled at the Midland’s club, and may take up the option to leave in the summer, but now, if Baros wants a move, he will have to impress hugely at the World Cup Finals in Germany to achieve a bid to match the price-tag Aitken has stated.

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