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Gary Gardner has been given the chance to salvage his Villa career after being offered a new contract by the club.

Gardner, whose current contract is up at the end of next month, is taking time out to consider whether or not to accept the extension.

The offer is confirmation that Villa are prepared to press ahead with some dealings this summer despite the uncertainty surrounding the club since chairman Randy Lerner announced his intention to sell.

Manager Paul Lambert and chief executive Paul Faulkner have spent the past few days with Lerner in New York discussing how the club will function during the search for a buyer.

Gardner will be handed the chance to recapture the form which made him one of the most promising talents to emerge from the Bodymoor Heath academy in recent seasons.

Villa’s offer also guards against the risk of losing the 21-year-old midfielder on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling this summer.

Now that they have offered him fresh terms they would be entitled to compensation if he turns them down and joins another club.

The 21-year-old midfielder’s claret and blue career has stalled after a series of serious injuries and he is currently battling a foot problem.

Gardner has played just 18 minutes of first-team football under Lambert on the first and last days of the 2012-13 campaign and did not make the matchday squad last season.

He went out on loan to Championship club Sheffield Wednesday in February but made just four appearances before injury struck again.

It is a familiar tale of woe for the Yardley youngster, who had long lay-offs after damaging his anterior crucial ligament in December 2009, again in August 2012 and missed the start of the current campaign with back trouble.

Having been given a senior debut by Alex McLeish as a substitute in a 3-1 win at Chelsea on December 31 2011, the England under-21 international has made five starts and 13 substitute appearances for Villa.

During Lambert’s reign, Gardner has been unable to dislodge Fabian Delph, Ashley Westwood, Karim El Ahmadi and Yacouba Sylla from the central midfield places.

Meanwhile, Villa’s record signing Darren Bent has revealed he will not be turning his season-long loan into a permanent move to Fulham following the Cottagers' relegation from the Premier League.

Bent, who scored six goals in 30 appearances for the Craven Cottage club, has one year remaining on his Villa contract and is due to report back to pre-season training at Bodymoor Heath at the start of July.

“I’ve enjoyed my time down here but obviously it hasn’t gone well,” said Bent.

“I haven’t played as much football as I would have liked.

“When I first came here I hoped it was going to be a case of playing fairly regularly, but it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Bent has not played for Villa since the £24 million signing scored in the final day draw at Wigan the season before last on May 19 2013.

It was his 21st goal for the claret and blues in 63 appearances, including 54 starts and nine substitute cameos.