Derek Mountfield: Aston Villa risk losing Ron Vlaar

The Villa skipper has one year left on his deal and an impressive World Cup could spark serious interest.

Vlaar excelled in the Netherlands' 5-1 demolition of Spain in their opening game in Brazil and they face Australia tonight.

And Mountfield admitted Vlaar's World Cup showings could come at a serious price for Villa, who are yet to open contract talks.

"The World Cup is a shop window," said Mountfield, who also played for Wolves and Walsall.

"Players like Ron Vlaar who have had an OK season with their clubs can suddenly meet up with their international team for a major tournament and get a new lease of life.

"Villa fans will like to see him doing well because it's always nice to see one of your own players performing at a World Cup. But they will also know that the better he plays the harder it will be for Villa to keep him.

"Hopefully he'll come back to Villa high in confidence, in good form, and he will sign a new long-term contract with Villa, but it might not be easy."

"It works both ways, because if he does well in Brazil he will be able to ask for bigger wages, but if Villa do have to sell him they can put a bigger price on his head."