Aston Villa signing Ron Vlaar admits he has eyes on the captaincy - long-term.

The 27-year-old was ­Feyenoord's skipper last season and is one of the candidates to wear the armband while club captain Stiliyan Petrov continues his fight to beat leukaemia.

Vlaar, signed for just £3.5million, said: "Maybe I will be captain, you never know - but I just want to play and be important for the team.

"It was nice to be captain of Feyenoord. It made me a better player because it's not only about what happens on the pitch, but off it.

"I learned a lot about leadership, which is something I want to continue here.

"I have to get used to the way things are said in games. I look forward to that. I want to be a leader."