Aston Villa’s Martin Laursen has admitted to Sky Sports News today, that he would be open to a move to either Tottenham Hotspur or Newcastle United. He describes both as “big clubs”.
Martin Laursen – interested in a move to Newcastle?
The Denmark international, who has played extremely well since Martin O’Neil took over as manager of Aston Villa about 17 months ago, has been Villa’s number one center-back during that time. His contract with Aston Villa surprisingly runs out in June, and it is therefore not surprising that a number of Premier clubs have been linked with a bid for the defender.
New reports yesterday that both Tottenham and Newcastle are keen to sign him, the 30-year-old has admitted today that an offer would be tempting.
“I’ve read in the press that those two clubs would be interested in me,”
“I don’t know if they have spoken to Aston Villa, I haven’t heard anything, but it’s two big clubs and it’s certainly something that would interest me.”
“I’m feeling really well with Villa and would be open to extend with them if the terms are right.”
We are not sure where Laursen stands about leaving Aston Villa, but it’s probably true he could get better terms at either Spurs or Newcastle United. But the ball is really in his court as to what he wants to do. Certainly Aston Villa are becoming a very strong side under Martin O’Neil and are headed upwards in the league.
But from a Newcastle viewpoint, Laursen has played very well this season and if he is available he’s what Sam is after – an experienced defender in the Premier League, who has proved himself. And since his contract at Villa has but 6 months to run, he wouldn’t presumably cost much either. In fact he wouldn’t cost anything in the summer.
He has played 48 times for both Aston Villa and Denmark, and scored 6 goals for Villa and 2 goals for Denmark. He was previously at AC Milan and Parma and stands 6’2†tall.
But over his career, he has also missed quite a few games through injury, and as players get older, injuries usually become worse rather than better. So that could be a potential drawback with Martin.
We would still expect Big Sam to make an inquiry with Aston Villa however, at the very least.
What do you think?
Comments very welcome.
64 comments so far
Tom_Toon
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:12 PM
Comment #1Hes definitely in the upper half of good defenders in the prem, but we should be aiming higher and younger.
ChrisM
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:13 PM
Comment #2Yip he is a good player. We would buy him and low and behold he would straightaway get back into being injury prone!
Hadrian
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:20 PM
Comment #3i think he’s been pretty immense for villa this season , would love him here .
i would have expected him to sign a new contract at villa , but maybe he’s a bit annoyed they have left it so long (i would be if i was playing like him)
Jamie
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:21 PM
Comment #4He will sign a new contract at Villa! hes done well there right now and a new contract will see him end his playing career with them (on a side note, he may want a change?? )
Jamie
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:23 PM
Comment #5Sorry guys on another side note? what about a move for Defoe? (another forward totally off topic with defense) Much fitter than Michael Owen has ever been, faster, younger! just needs regular first team football.
scottish mag
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:25 PM
Comment #6brilliant signing if it happened, one of best def in prem the now and scoring a heap of goals, big threat at corners.
Midjew
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:27 PM
Comment #7I would love him to come, i DEF think we will be able to offer him better wages than most and that may JUST sway it for us.
And in regard for aiming for younger Def, there are none avaliable with Prem experience, and most GOOD defenses have experienced CB witha younger one.
SOOO May i introduce, laursen and taylor/Faye for our NEW CB
Jamie
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:29 PM
Comment #8Plus a young defender normally starts life in a lower division and then gets bought – 2-4 seasons down the line gets introduced at the higher level first team games. Or you could buy lescott who has seemed to slot right in at Everton lol.
Doocey
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:30 PM
Comment #9Would be a very good signing 🙂
Hope we get him 🙂
scott9
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:34 PM
Comment #10tom-toon stop with ur high expectations aim higher than martin laursen ur kiding me m8 hes one of the best defenders in the premier league in fact aprt from ledley king hes probably the best outside the top four.
if hes interested i think we should bust a gut to get him howver i dont think aston villa will sell in januery unless they recieve a good offer and laursen says he wants to leave
Midjew
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:34 PM
Comment #11well why not lescott and laursen. thats sounds fine to me.
scott9
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:37 PM
Comment #12jaes i agree defoe would defienatley sort out our lack of converting our chances hes one of the best finishers in the premier league however he said he wnats to stay with tottenham
Ross
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:37 PM
Comment #13i’d love to see him come. from what i’ve seen of him this season he seems strong at the back, he’s a big lad and is very good in the air in both boxes, a threat at corners.
however, apparently oneill said he is the one player he will not let go of in jan. he means too much to them.
i can see a new contract being signed unless he says no and we can sway it over spurs.
it must also be noted he did say in the interview with sky should the terms be right, he’d be more than happy to stay with villa.
Tom_Toon
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:39 PM
Comment #14Ledley King is nowhere near the bes defender outside the top 4, ive got low expectations compared to the most of all us bloggers. Laursen has made some comical misakes this season, but everyone seems to be overlooking that fact as he is scoring a good amount of goals for a defender, dont rate him as highly as others.
Tom_Toon
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:40 PM
Comment #15Who said i want a young one?
I want younger than Lausen as hes 30!
Tom_Toon
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:43 PM
Comment #16Midjew faye is 29, so he cant be classed as the young one.
James
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:46 PM
Comment #17Just because a player wants to come and get our high wages, doesn’t mean he deserves them
Midjew
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:48 PM
Comment #18true but i mean, faye and taylor could alternate, or all 3 really depending on perfomances
doc
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:49 PM
Comment #19probably using us to get a better and longer contract at villa
yes to defoe
scott9
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:55 PM
Comment #20without ledley kings injuries hes the best outside the top four if u dont agree tom toon tell me who is
James
Jan 8, 2008 at 6:58 PM
Comment #21Scott9 – I too think he’s a good player but he’s 30 and we shouldn’t be looking to buy a 30 year old on a 4 year contract.
scott9
Jan 8, 2008 at 7:04 PM
Comment #22with our defensive problems who gives a s*it how old they are if there top quality like laursen get them in cause rozenhals no were near good enough and we need faye in midfield so laursen would be a s*it hot signing
Tom_Toon
Jan 8, 2008 at 7:06 PM
Comment #23Samba, Nelson, Lescott, Faye, Campbell, Dunne, Richards, Taylor (IMO), Woodgate, Laursen and probably a few others. Thats only the CB’s.
valle
Jan 8, 2008 at 7:09 PM
Comment #24As a dane i have seen plenty of Laursen, and has always been a great defender. U dont get that many games in the Milan defense if u arent. He has however been injury prone over the last 2 years and thats as far as the downsides go… As a big plus, he would be very cheap, since his contract is about to expire
Johann
Jan 8, 2008 at 7:11 PM
Comment #25Primus Yobo Stubbs
Ben
Jan 8, 2008 at 7:11 PM
Comment #26Lauesen,undecided about this one,whenver hes been on match of the day its his counterparts doing the defending for him,you only ever notice him on the picth from set pieces so would not be too fussed if we did or didnt get him,but given his rediculous injury record,i recon hes a no go….but who knows!Very OPTIMISTIC about Wesley,think he could be top pllayer….Big sam give Lua Lua another chance to prove himslef this weekend if only for 8-10 mins!would love to watch vidic get turned inside out by the little speedster!our new dyer without the ego and injuries!
Drago
Jan 8, 2008 at 7:13 PM
Comment #27Defoe is one best finishers ? lol who said that ? 😀 😀
valle
Jan 8, 2008 at 7:13 PM
Comment #28Taylor?!?!… Your dreaming mate, Taylor is nowhere near the top half of defenders, only reason you think so is beause he’s a local
Tom_Toon
Jan 8, 2008 at 7:15 PM
Comment #29Im saying he’s better than Ledley King
Ben
Jan 8, 2008 at 7:19 PM
Comment #30drago stats prove it,was on sky sports today,goal every 110 mins or something,the best in the league
sean1881
Jan 8, 2008 at 7:25 PM
Comment #31“probably using us to get a better and longer contract at villa”
QFE!!!
lmao, doc seems to be the only sane one amongst you!
he doesn’t know of any contact between the two clubs, but he’s read in the press that us & spurs might be interested in him, but then again might sign a new contract at villa if the terms are right.
for those of you who lack the ability to read between the lines, what he’s really saying is:-
my contracts up in 6 months & if you dont give me a new one, & a bloody good one at that, i’m gonna bugger off somewhere else. the top four aren’t gonna be interested so i’ll go for the next best thing, a big club with plenty of money. since you could drive a bus through spurs & newcastles’ back four, i’ll still be 1st choice & i’ll be laughing all the way to the bank!
who’s his agent? jerry maguire by any chance?
The black in the blacknwhite
Jan 8, 2008 at 7:58 PM
Comment #32big sam is a tit
Thomas
Jan 8, 2008 at 8:14 PM
Comment #33think sean’s spot on
Graham
Jan 8, 2008 at 8:16 PM
Comment #34Why the hell would Laursen come to NUFC over Spurs or Villa – Villa a team on the up, Spurs a team on the up – NUFC a club in decline. And dont give me the bullshit about support and fan base and big clubs.
The only reason he’ll come is if we offer a bucket load of cash (or we get a decent manager in)
I’m sorry, but be prepared to be content with the young signings and the Bolton signings this winetr time…
joel
Jan 8, 2008 at 8:21 PM
Comment #35Tottenham and Hammers head the chase for Brazil star Fred ?
joel
Jan 8, 2008 at 8:22 PM
Comment #36go on lyon in newsnow everyone and it saids that fred wants to leave the club!!!!!!!!!QUICKLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
joel
Jan 8, 2008 at 8:25 PM
Comment #37COME ON NEWCASTLE BID FOR FRED!!!!!!!!!!1
Bosck
Jan 8, 2008 at 8:32 PM
Comment #38Doubt we could get him but if we could i’d say by him now. I work with a villa fan and he has said that along with agbonlahor, laursen has been their best player by far this season. taylor and laursen in defence with faye dm would suit me fine or faye and laursen with taylor getting reasonable amount of game time and experience rotated in for both.
joel
Jan 8, 2008 at 8:33 PM
Comment #39Afonso Alves IS ABOUT TO GO TO MAN CITY
joel
Jan 8, 2008 at 8:36 PM
Comment #40Vágner Love is up for sellllll