Aston Villa need to unearth a defensive gem says Paul McGrath

May 19 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

PAUL McGrath fears Martin O’Neill needs to unearth a defensive gem because an experienced replacement for Martin Laursen will be too expensive.

O’Neill has already started dispatching scouts to games in an attempt to earmark a centre-half capable of filling the Danish defender’s boots.

Villa have been linked with a host of defenders, including Fulham’s Norwegian international Brede Hangeland, since Laursen’s career-ending injury.

But McGrath is convinced there is nobody suitable in the Premier League who is within Villa’s price range or available for transfer.

And the claret and blue legend believes O’Neill might have to take a gamble on an unproven overseas player to avoid paying over the odds.

“Villa have got a real problem on their hands trying to replace Martin Laursen because he has been outstanding for them in the past few seasons,” said McGrath.