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Steve Bruce is confident Aston Villa can keep hold of Jonathan Kodjia next season regardless of the division they’re playing in.

The in-form striker has bagged 18 times this term, taking his tally to 38 goals since leaving France for England in July 2015.

Kodjia is hot property and if his blistering form in claret and blue continues, Villa could face a difficult summer if the vultures start to circle.

“There will be all sorts of questions throw at us because he’s had an outstanding season,” said Bruce.

“But I don’t envisage any problems. We will do our utmost to keep him here.”

Kodjia has five goals in as many games and his strikes have been the difference in recent weeks.

He got the match-winners against QPR, Norwich and Sheffield Wednesday and has single-handedly won Villa 18 points this season.

With a play-off dream still alive, Villa need Kodjia to continue his goals glut and also stick around in times ahead.

“He’s only been here eight months or so and he’s got a four-year contract.

“On top of that, we’re Aston Villa and we want to get into the Premier League and that means we want to keep hold of our best players.

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“That’s the simple outlook.

“But you can never say never.

“If Chelsea come in tomorrow and offer ridiculous money then everybody has got their price unfortunately, that’s the way football is.

“I know Jon is happy. He’s enjoying his football, he’s playing on the international stage where he’s having some success so long may it continue.

“He’s got a four-year contract. You sign them and you expect people to honour them.

“Now, we see them broken all the time but if you commit to a four-year contract, you commit, and I expect Jonathan to be the same.”

Kodjia will lead the line at Burton Albion tomorrow and is close to reaching the 20-goal mark for a second successive season.

But where does he rate in terms of forwards Bruce has worked with in the past?

“Well, when you look at his goal-scoring, it’s unbelievable,” the manager said.

“I’ve had a few decent ones strikers in the past, is he up there? I suppose he is, he’s a very good player who is up there with what I’ve worked with in the past because of the amount of goals he has got.

“He’s that unpredictable one - a little bit off the cuff.

“But when he’s in full flow he’s exciting, he can beat you, he drops his shoulder and has that languid style.

“He can be frustrating at times for us all because he can be unpredictable but he’s a very decent player.”