Aston Villa appear to have agreed to sign Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell in a £5million deal subject to him passing a medical.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill now expects the signing of a player he has long admired to be completed within the next couple of days. Sidwell would seem to be a straight replacement for Gareth Barry, who seems destined to end up at Liverpool.

Sidwell, the twenty-five year old midfielder, failed to establish himself at Chelsea after moving from Reading on a free transfer last summer.

Sidwell played a big role in Reading gaining promotion to the top flight for the first time two years ago, but he rejected a new contract that summer and left Reading on a free transfer to move to Chelsea in 2007.

Martin O'Neill has been talking about who might Skipper his Villa team this season if Barry does leave and he has given a huge hint that it might be Martin Laursen. "There are a number of people on the list and Martin Laursen would certainly be one of the names I'd be thinking about. He was terrific last season. There are a number of people who would want it but there are a number of people who are on my list who might not want it. I haven't discussed it yet. There are quite a few candidates at the club and perhaps others not yet at the club so that's something I'll look at further down the line."

It could be that Sidwell could walk into the skippers role.

Come on Villa fans, would Sidwell be a decent replacement for Gareth Barry?