England international striker Emile Heskey has pledged his future with Aston Villa.

Heskey has moved to discredit reports that he had to leave Villa to secure a first-team place with England and insist he was misquoted.

The Englishman has since been linked with a move back to Wigan but now he has repeated his desire to stay at Villa Park.

"I didn't say I want to quit Villa or anything like that," he told the club's official website.

"The manager knows what I'm like. I have spoken to him and explained the quotes. I think the manager knew anyway that certain things weren't said.

"After a game, you are faced with about 10 million questions. Most of my replies were one word answers and then I read headlines saying I'm going to quit Villa and things like that. It confused me a little.

"You try and go over the questions you were asked and piece together things you said, trying to work out when I said I was going to quit Villa.

"I'm not running away from things. You have to embrace the challenge. These are the hurdles you have to get over, I've said that before.

"I am here, I am a Villa player and in spite of what the headlines say, I'm not going to quit."

When asked if he was concerned about his lack of first-team opportunities at Villa, earlier in the week Heskey told The Guardian: "I will have to sit down and think about my next move.

"I don't know whether I can get a World Cup place if I'm not playing for Villa."