Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is set to enter contract talks with Martin Laursen this week.

Laursen, who is out of contract in June and free to speak to clubs from January, expressed concerns about his future this week, saying he was surprised he hadn't heard anything from Villa.

But O'Neill revealed he is set to hit the negotiating table to thrash out the Danish international's future.

"We had arranged a meeting, this week in fact, before these quotes came out," O'Neill told the Express &Star.

"I was surprised at the comments because I'd spoken to his agent before the quotes came out, but not to worry."