Laursen Targets Mid-Sept Return

Looks like Martin Laursen could well be on the comeback trail. Wonder what odds you’d get for whether Doug Ellis or David O’Leary will be the first to say that his return is like a new signing?!

The defender is looking to return for pre-season training in July after sitting out the whole of this season barring one game and a large portion of the season before.

The Denmark international, who moved from AC Milan in May 2004 for £3million but has since only managed 13 games, underwent knee surgery under the instructions of renowned American knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman.

Laursen told the official site: ‘It has been very hard for me. That’s why I decided, together with Aston Villa, to go away and concentrate on my fitness work, my gym work and my pool work. I’ve concentrated on one thing, but obviously it is very hard for me not to play football. I have to accept that I’ve had a very bad knee problem and major surgery on it. But I’m very positive. From day one, everyone has been very positive about my knee. So I’m positive about things.’

Adding: ‘I want to be back playing at the very top level and I am young enough to do that. I still have a lot to prove at Aston Villa and I owe a lot to the manager and to the chairman.’

He also says that his target for a first team return is mid-September.