See You Luke!

Looks like Villa striker Luke Moore is set to go the way of his brother Stefan and leave.

Villa took up the one year option on the 21 year old striker leaving him tied to Villa until the summer of 2009 but Luke now looks like he wants out.

His agent, Steve Kutner told Sky Sports:

‘He rejected the contract because he feels he needs to move on. He needs to be playing first-team football at this stage of his career. He is 21 now and has been very unlucky that he hurt his shoulder last season when he did. Luke has already proved he can do it in the Premier League.’

Not consistently he hasn’t?

The agent added, ‘They have got him for another season.’ Having taken up the option but unless Luke denies his wishes to leave, I would think the club will listen to offers, there is no place for a player not wanting to fight for first team contention. It isn’t automatic, especially when you are so young and inexperienced.

We reported last week that Martin O’Neill had already confirmed Luke had turned down an offer and that is why they took up the one year option. ‘The decision to extend Luke’s contract was our decision. There was talk about a new contract and negotiations went to and fro, but Luke has decided not to take the offer on board.’ Adding, ‘People here get opportunities to get into the side and they have to take them, I can only pick 16 players. There’s a fight on for positions and I’d want that throughout the team. As a general message to everyone in the squad, people have got to fight to get into the side and, if they get into the team, then they have to do well. Luke’s played a number of games. But this is what happens – someone comes into the side, does okay, then does not so badly, then maybe doesn’t do so cleverly, then doesn’t play for a couple of weeks and then questions are asked.’

See you Luke.