Martin Laursen says he would be "proud" to be Aston Villa's captain on a permanent basis after taking the armband against Odense on Saturday.The Danish defender rose to the challenge of the captaincy at the weekend by scoring his side's second goal in a 2-2 draw.

With Gareth Barry aiming to leave Villa Park, Martin O'Neill is looking for a new captain and Laursen would be keen on the job.

"I would be proud to captain Aston Villa," Laursen told the club's official website. "That is a nice thing and I would be very proud to do it. It was a proud moment for me to do it in my home country.

"When I play I don't think about the captaincy. It is not always on my mind and it is not going to ruin my season if I am not the captain.

"I hope to play a good season and it would be nice to have that responsibility as well.

"I think it would go down well in Denmark if it happened. It would be good for Denmark and for Danish football."

Meanwhile, O'Neill has compared Laursen to Villa legend Paul McGrath and current Chelsea captain John Terry.

O'Neill said: "He is in the John Terry mould isn't he? And he has become such a talismanic figure for the club.

"He never lets you down. In Denmark, it could not have been anyone else.

"The knee injury he had would have floored lesser men. To play consistently and as well as he has is extraordinary.

"He is a bit like Paul McGrath in that respect. If he is to become an iconic figure like McGrath, he has to play for a number of years and let's hope that happens."

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