Carew claims cloud Defoe deal truth

Martin O'Neill has denied Villa are in for Jermain Defoe and played down claims John Carew will be out with a back injury until March.

The big striker's agent was quoted this week as saying that Carew would not be ready to return for another couple of months at least, which would then put O'Neill under added pressure to sign a new hitman in the January transfer window.

But O'Neill, who also denied reports that he has made a bid for Portsmouth's Jermain Defoe, suggested that agent Per Flod was not correct in his assessment.

He said: "John is doing okay. To get medical advice, I would prefer to get it from my doctor at the club rather than John Carew's agent who lives in Norway.

"Will he need surgery? No. He is doing pretty well. He is doing okay. We are taking it stage by stage but, for the agent to say he is going to miss the rest of the season, would not be true.

"I am not in for Defoe. I've only said it about 14 times."