Former Aston Villa favourite Dion Dublin says the club will be losing one of it's greatest centre-backs if Martin Laursen is forced into retirement.

Big Dion said: "His loss would be huge. He epitomises a centre half. He's a mixture of Gary Pallister, Steve Bruce, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.

"He's just an out-and-out winner. He'll do whatever it takes to stop the ball going in the back of the net.

"He'll put his head in, he can pick a pass, he can make a tackle. He's one of the best centre-halves Villa have had."