O’Neill confident Laursen will sign new deal

MARTIN O’NEILL is hopeful Aston Villa defender Martin Laursen will finally agree to sign a new contract this week.

O’Neill is taking nothing for granted but revealed Laursen, whose current deal expires in the summer, had been “pretty receptive” to the idea of committing himself to the midlands club.

Laursen has convinced O’Neill of his fitness during the current campaign after three years of being dogged by knee problems.