Aston Villa midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye wants to stay in the Premier League despite continued interest from Marseille.

The 26-year-old has a release clause set at £7.1million and Marseille see him as a key recruit as they plan a summer rebuild.

They wanted to sign him from Lille last summer only to be pipped by big-spending Villa and have continued to keep in contact since January.

Idrissa Gana Gueye was a rare success during a desperately disappointing season at Aston Villa

Gueye is represented by Mark McKay of ExcelFoot, who helped West Ham sign Dimitri Payet from Marseille, and wants to find another club in the Premier League following Villa's relegation.

Despite, Villa's disappointing season Gueye returned some impressive individual statistics particularly with interceptions and tackles, comparing favourably with Leicester City's N'Golo Kante.

Villa plan fresh talks with Roberto Di Matteo in the next 24 hours after David Moyes ruled himself out of the running for the managerial vacancy.

The Aston Villa midfielder wants to stay in the Premier League despite interest from Marseille

Nigel Pearson, the preferred candidate of outgoing chairman Steve Hollis, is still in contention but prospective new owner Dr Tony Xia has been impressed by Di Matteo.

The search for a permanent successor to Remi Garde, who departed in March, could widen still with Roberto Martinez also under consideration.