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Aston Villa boss Smith hopes to keep Reina, Drinkwater: Danny incident 'sorted'

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith admits nothing has been settled over their loan pair.

Smith wants to extend the stay of on-loan AC Milan goalkeeper Pepe Reina and Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater.

Smith said: "I don't think it has to be done until the end of June so that will be with Suso (sporting director) and the secretary to sort out.

"I am keen for both of them to stay. We are allowed bigger squads now and a bigger subs bench. I am keen to have as many as I can."

Shortly before the coronavirus lockdown, Drinkwater was involved in a training ground bust-up with teammate Jota.

"There was an incident on the training ground that it wasn't happy with and, again, it's been sorted," Smith explained. "It got sorted at the time and Danny got reprimanded. It will be nothing more than what goes on at every other training ground."

The boss added: "He's worked very hard during the lockdown period to build up his fitness because someone who hasn't played an awful lot of games in the last year and a half, that was what he needed to do. He needed to make sure that he got up to speed."

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