David O'Leary received some rare good news yesterday as midfield inspiration Steven Davis committed himself to Aston Villa until 2009.

The Villa manager is in need of a pick-me-up at the moment, with his side misfiring at the wrong end of the Premiership, so the decision of his star player to sign an improved three-and-a-half year contract will come as no little boost.

Recent speculation had suggested that clubs like Arsenal and Manchester United were monitoring Davis with a view to signing the one bright spot Villa have had in 2005.

O'Leary was clearly relieved when he praised the club's board of directors - and the 20-year-old - for reaching a quick agreement that will now enable the Northern Ireland international to focus on upcoming games with Everton, Fulham, Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion and the crucial task of improving his side's parlous Premiership position.

"This is great news for the club and full credit to the chairman and Steve Stride for sorting it out with so little fuss," O'Leary said.

"Steven has quickly made himself a fixture in the first-team squad here at Villa and it's vital to the future of the football club that we keep players of his quality.

"He's really made his mark, taken everything in his stride and he continues to develop. I'm absolutely delighted that he's been able to agree a new deal."

He also revealed that Davis' consistent form had been the key factor in agreeing a contract believed to double his current wage to around £10,000 a week.

"Steven has been on small money so far and we wanted to try to get the contract terms up to a decent figure. He has done excellently for us in the past year or so," said O'Leary. "I put him in the team and I want to keep him. To me people like Steven Davis are the long-term future of this football club.

"He is doing marvellously well. He is quiet boy who doesn't say much. Yes, the lad has got to go and develop and mature a lot more yet but he can go places in the game."

O'Leary has likened the academy graduate and FA Youth Cup winner to his former protege at Leeds United, Alan Smith, who has gone on to play for the Old Trafford giants.

"Steven listens to everything and is determined to learn and Alan Smith was exactly the same," he said. "Nothing was too much effort for him. He would train morning, noon and night and Steven is just like him.

"The fans are also pleased to see a young lad come through the ranks and get into the side - they really appreciate him."

They will also remember the fact that O'Leary was originally hesitant about using a young man with no experience of the English top-flight.

That Davis broke into the Villa starting line-up was as much about the club's injury situation as it was his own burgeoning reputation, though since then his progress has been startling and he has retained his place in the first team ahead of more recognised names like Lee Hendrie, Eric Djemba-Djemba and Mathieu Berson.

Davis, who will be 21 next month, has made a massive impression since being given his full Premiership debut against Tottenham Hotspur 13 months ago and he admitted his progress has been startling.

"A lot has happened in a year since making my full debut and I have been enjoying the way things have been going and I'm happy at Villa," Davis said.

"I saw the Manchester United speculation and just took it with a pinch of salt really," he said.

"It is nice to be linked with a club like that, but I'm enjoying it here and I'm happy to commit my future to the club. I'm happy here and I'm enjoying my football. The fans have been great to me since I came into the team and that's what mattered to me.

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"I feel as though I'm progressing well and I've got a lot of room to progress. I'm at the right club to do that."

Meanwhile, Eirik Bakke expects his Villa future to be sorted out next month when the transfer window reopens.

The Norwegian midfielder has done well since arriving on loan from Leeds in August but appears to have no future at Elland Road as his wages are beyond their means.

"We've said we'll talk about my future in January, so between now and then I want to play as much as possible," he said. "That's all I've wanted since coming here." ..SUPL: