Dane urges Crouch to return to Villa and join O'Neill's 'mini England'

Villa are unique among the Premier League's top 10 clubs by having English players as their biggest driving force. Gareth Barry, Nigel Reo-Coker, Scott Carson, Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor have been the heartbeat of Villa's challenge for a European place and benefited hugely by playing in a young, vibrant side.

It is a situation that will doubtlessly interest those well remunerated but damagingly underused Englishmen at Champions League clubs.

Shaun Wright- Phillips, Theo Walcott and Steve Sidwell all figure in that bracket, but it is Peter Crouch, popular with Villa fans already after a spell there before being sold by former manager David O'Leary, and close friends with Barry, who will be of most interest to O'Neill. The striker is likely to leave Liverpool in the summer after being regarded merely as an emergency option by his manager Rafa Benitez.

Villa's experienced Danish defender Martin Laursen once shared a dressing room at AC Milan with Paolo Maldini, Edgar Davids and Andriy Shevchenko, but he has never been excited by anything as much as the "English revolution" at Villa Park.

He believes the likes of Barry, who admits he might have to consider his future at Villa Park, and Agbonlahor would regret leaving now to be bit-part players elsewhere, despite plenty of interest from the big boys. But confirm Villa's resurgence and reassure their players by nicking some stars off the "Big Four".

Laursen said: "I can see how it can be a problem if one of the 'Big Four' teams comes in with £20million for one of our players," said Laursen, who will seek Barclays Premier League bragging rights over Birmingham City today.

"It would be difficult for a club like Villa to ignore that, but the final decision will still come down to the player. I think there is a good argument to say they are better off here, playing and developing every week, rather than not contributing at another club.

"This is a club who are going places. We have a lot of good young players here so an England striker like Peter Crouch should be interested in coming to Aston Villa. It's why I signed a new contract this year, because I believe in the future. I can't see myself playing for another English team."

Laursen is thrilled at the potential of Agbonlahor, whom he thinks can develop into England's Thierry Henry.

The Brummie, who has scored in Villa's emphatic recent wins against Bolton and Derby, looks ideal if Fabio Capello perseveres with a 4-2-3-1 England formation.

Laursen, 31, said: "Gaby has the potential to do well for England; he has the talent, the pace and he is a good finisher. The question is how he copes with the pressure as he becomes better known."