Hutton deal U-turn not ruled out

STEVE Bruce has confirmed Villa are not in a position to offer Alan Hutton a new contract due to their ongoing battle with Financial Fair Play.

Hutton, 33, has been in excellent form for Villa this season and Bruce has selected him from the start in 16 of the last 18 Championship fixtures.

The Scottish defender is out of contract at the end of the season and recently approached the manager to discuss the possibility of a renewal only to be told an extension was off the table.

Despite Hutton’s disappointment, Bruce insists it’s ‘not the end of the world’ for the player and expects plenty of suitors. The manager also refused to rule out a U-turn – but that depends on what division Villa are in come the end of the campaign.

“I spoke to Alan, I had to be honest with him to say, ‘Look, in the position we are in at this moment we are we’re not in a position to offer anybody a new contract’,” said Bruce.

“The situation the club is in in terms of finances and Financial Fair Play, I think we all need to know where we are, whether we’re in the Championship or we’re in the Premier League. If we’re in the Championship we’ll have to make cuts, it’s as straightforward as that. I’ve spoken to the people above me and we’re not in a position to offer anybody a new contract just yet.

“Alan Hutton has been in a situation where I’ve been here for 15 months and he’s done terrifically well. But we’ll have to look after the club and sometimes my job is to look after the club too.

“Let’s see where we are and see what happens. It’s not the end of the world for Alan Hutton because I’ve no doubt there will be takers from what we’re seeing at the moment. For a 33-year-old, it’s quite remarkable to see his fitness levels and what he trains like every day. He knows what I think of him but, at this situation in time, we’re not in a position to go forward with any of them.”

Hutton was one of the first inductees to Villa’s infamous ‘Bomb Squad’ under Paul Lambert and went two years without playing a game for the club.

But his relentless appetite for football meant Lambert brought him back into the fold and he continued to play regularly under Tim Sherwood and Remi Garde before Robert Di Matteo arrived. Ritchie De Laet was signed from Leicester in a move which should have signalled the end for Hutton but fate once again intervened.

De Laet’s season-ending injury allowed Hutton to regain his spot. Even James Bree’s arrival couldn’t limit his involvement, and Ahmed Elmohamady’s arrival over the summer gave Bruce yet another option at right-back. Again, he found a way back. Neil Taylor has twice let Hutton in at left-back this season and he is showing no sign of surrendering his slot.

In fact, Hutton is arguably playing the best football of his Villa career in an unfamiliar position.