Aston Villa are moving to quell speculation regarding the future of strikers Christian Benteke and Andreas Weimann but questions remain over the pair amid interest from Arsenal and Newcastle United.

While Benteke claimed last week he hoped the club would allow him to join Arsenal this summer, Weimann is yet to agree a contract extension at Villa Park with his current deal due to expire at the end of next season.

Benteke and Weimann finished as the club's highest two goalscorers this term and won the Young Player of the Year and Supporters' Young Player of the Year prizes respectively at the club's end-of-season awards dinner.

Newcastle United, Norwich City and Sunderland are understood to among the club's tracking Weimann, who scored 12 goals in all competitions last season for Villa, with the 21 year old due to enter the final year of his contract.

Christian Benteke and Andreas Weimann
Benteke and Weimann's future remain in doubt.

Both Newcastle and Sunderland finished below Villa in the Premier League table, but the duo will be seeking top half finishes next season, while Norwich, who are expected to tie up a deal for Ricky van Wolfswinkel in the summer, finished 11<sup>th.

Of the trio, Newcastle are likely to be making the biggest strides in the summer transfer window, after managing director Derek Llambias last week criticised the club's campaign which was malined by a fight against relegation.

While Villa would be due compensation should Weimann depart at the end of his contract next summer, the Midlanders would likely recoup a substantial fee before the start of next season should the Austrian opt to reject a new deal and leave.

Agent Robert Groener has confirmed Weimann will be offered a new deal to remain at Villa Park.

"There is a meeting planned and we hope we can come to a successful conclusion," Groener said.

"Andi will stay in the Premier League, but at which club I do not know at this moment. There are offers, but we will first meet Villa and listen to them."

Weimann himself has hinted he will remain with the Villains beyond the summer; seeking to continue to be part of Paul Lambert's young squad

"What the gaffer is building here we all believe in and we just have to continue working hard for him and each other," Weimann said.

"I think that's what Aston Villa is about. It's a family club. We're growing and getting better all the time and I think there's a lot of potential in the team right now because, as players, we're only going to get better.

"It's really exciting for everyone. The club is very tight-knit. I've been here for years now and I've loved every minute of it."

Of greater concern to Villa is the future of top scorer Benteke, who earned wide acclaim this season after scoring 23 goals in his debut campaign, goals which helped Villa survive relegation to the Championship.

The Belgian was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award in his maiden season in English football, but last week claimed that he was confident he could secure a move to Arsenal should an offer be forthcoming.

"If Aston Villa say I must stay, I won't necessarily accept that. I do not in any way want to feel I didn't get the most out of my career," Benteke claimed last week. "I try to get everything.

"Of course playing the World Cup in Rio is in my head. But I have no fear of falling out of the team. There is no point in me getting into a tug-of-war with Villa.

"If the chance comes up for me to join a club like Arsenal, I'm convinced we can reach a compromise where everyone comes out a winner."

But manager Lambert has reacted angrily to Benteke's suggestion that he would contradict his club's wishes this summer and move to Arsenal, and claims the 22 year old needs a "reality check" with three years remaining on his current deal.

"I don't really 100% know what's happened but he's got three years here at Aston Villa and the club have always come first," Lambert told talkSPORT.

"He's had one of those seasons where he's never really been injured and he's never been suspended except the last day.

"He's got to remember that he's only 22 years of age - he's got so much to learn. He's only a kid starting out and he's going to have ups and downs like everybody else. Once he starts to play 400 or 500 games you might think, 'yeah, he's right good player'."