Villa midfielder Stiliyan Petrov is confident the club’s challenge for trophies will be even stronger next season.

The claret and blues have not won any silverware since lifting the League Cup in 1996 but, having sealed a European spot for a second successive season, they will again be fighting on four fronts next term.

Midfielder Petrov, who signed a new four-year contract with the club in May, believes the team can prove there is life after Gareth Barry and Martin Laursen, because young guns like Ashley Young, Curtis Davies, Gabby Agbonlahor and James Milner will be even better next season.

He said: “We have some really promising stars of the future. They will gel and get better and better in the next few seasons.

“That is what is promising for this club and I want to be part of that.

“Quite a few of the lads are 22, 23, 24-years-old. They want to learn and improve and want to be known as good players and achieve something.

“It’s great we have players like that here.

“This club wants to move forward every single year. I hope next season will be even more successful than the one just gone.

“We want to win silverware – some trophies – that’s our aim. It’s going to be a big season for us all.

“The manager wants to strengthen and make the team better next season.

“That gives me and the fans a lot of hope too.”