Sign up NOW for our daily Villa newsletter direct to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

It’s been difficult to catch breath at Aston Villa in recent months, what with managerial changes, FA Cup adventures and the familiar frustration of a relegation battle.

But now Villa have a 14-day respite between matches courtesy of the international break, it’s worth taking stock of the squad’s contract situations with the summer approaching.

We know new boss Tim Sherwood is tied down to Villa until the summer of 2018. But what about his squad?

Here we look at how long each of the first-team players has to run on their current deals.

Out of contract this summer (June 30)

Ron Vlaar, Darren Bent, Chris Herd, Enda Stevens, Lewis Kinsella, Graham Burke.

Last summer he was shining as arguably the best defender at the World Cup, this summer Vlaar is set to be Villa’s highest-profile free agent with the captain and the club seeming increasingly unlikely to agree a new deal.

Bent could actually rival the skipper in terms of famous freebies, although the record signing’s departure has been on the cards so long that we are all prepared for it by now.

Herd will depart Villa more famous for beating down the door to nightclubs rather than beating a path to the first team, while it is certainly the end for Stevens. Of those whose contracts are up soon, Kinsella is an interesting case. He has impressed the new manager enough to be included in matchday squads and is surely set for a new contract soon.

Can you spot yourself in the Villa Park crowd against Swansea?

Loans up soon

Scott Sinclair, Tom Cleverley.

Both players are Villa’s until the end of the season and both have expressed an interest in swapping their respective Manchester clubs for a longer stay in B6. On recent form Sinclair would seem a better bet for Villa, although much will depend on the club retaining their Premier League status.

One year left (until 2016)

Shay Given, Charles N’Zogbia, Nathan Baker, Joe Bennett, Ciaran Clark, Philippe Senderos, Kieran Richardson, Janoi Donacien, Yacouba Sylla, Nicklas Helenius, Leandro Bacuna, Joe Cole, Gary Gardner, Andi Weimann, Callum Robinson .

It promises to be a busy summer of negotiating. Given and N’Zogbia’s days are surely numbered if Villa continue with their prudent wage policy.

The club are unlikely to want to fund extended periods on the treatment table for last summer’s veteran acquisitions Senderos, Cole and Richardson. The chances of Helenius, Sylla and Bennett making comebacks are remote and they could be loaned out for a final season.

Based on his recent performances Clark’s signature is the one Sherwood should most covet on a new contract.

Two years left (until 2017)

Brad Guzan, Jores Okore, Alan Hutton, Matt Lowton, Aleksandar Tonev, Ashley Westwood, Christian Benteke, Libor Kozak.

Villa have a core of players tied down for the next two years. Sadly one of them is Tonev and they would do well to cut their losses on the Bulgarian flop and move him on.

Guzan and Benteke’s contract situations need monitoring as they remain big players for Villa at each end of the field.

Three years left (until 2018)

Aly Cissokho, Carlos Sanchez, Jack Grealish, Gabby Agbonlahor.

This category is a mixed bunch. There is up-and-comer Grealish whose challenge is to be a first-team regular by 2018, and been-there-done-it Agbonlahor whose challenge is to remain a regular.

Cissokho and Sanchez also have plenty of security and need to contribute consistently.

Four years left (until 2019)

Fabian Delph, Carles Gil

Rewind a few months and the likelihood of Delph signing a long-term deal was firmly in the ‘not very likely at all’ column. Villa need to start to match the England man’s ambitions during the next four years.