Birmingham Mail: Paul Lambert has outlined Darren Bent's credentials to become Villa's stand-in skipper - and also revealed the club are keeping tabs on Liverpool striker Andy Carroll. Bent wore the armband in club captain Stiliyan Petrov's absence during the first half of Saturday's 2-1 friendly win at Burton after putting his name forward for the role.

Birmingham Mail: "We glow in the dark, we glow in the dark, we're Aston Villa, we glow in the dark." Thankfully, Villa's new luminous green away kit was not the only bright spot as the Paul Lambert era kicked off with an encouraging, if not emphatic, friendly victory at the Pirelli Stadium.

Birmingham Mail: Paul Lambert is confident Villa's triple-header against American opposition will take their pre-season preparations to the next level. Villa jet off to the States this afternoon for three friendlies against Philadelphia Union, Chicago Fire and Portland Timbers.

Birmingham Mail: Imagine Paul Lambert hiding in a wardrobe to eavesdrop on his players' conversations and then holding a champagne party in his hotel room to apologise. Well, that's precisely what Tommy Docherty, Villa's manager, back in the summer of 1969, did during the club's colourful first tour of America.

Birmingham Mail: 'Bat-man sinks Villa's hopes' was the Birmingham Mail's headline when Gabriel Batistuta shot them down in the Gotham Cup in New Jersey in 1999. John Gregory's men had been invited to take part in the pre-season tournament along with Ajax, Panathinaikos and Fiorentina.

The Sun: Aston Villa are on the brink of sealing the £8million signing of Feyenoord centre-half Ron Vlaar. The Dutch club gave the 27-year-old the OK to travel to Villa Park yesterday and negotiate personal terms.

Daily Mail: Aston Villa are talking to Feyenoord centre back Ron Vlaar, 27. Villa want Newcastle's Danny Simpson who has been talking to Reading.

Mirror: Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert believes he has found a potential Premier League superstar in Karim El Ahmadi. Lambert made Moroccan international El Ahmadi his first signing after succeeding Alex McLeish.

Sky Sports: Aston Villa have made a move to try and lure Feyenoord captain Ron Vlaar to England. Sky Sports understands that the 27-year-old defender was in Birmingham on Sunday for talks with the club, after being given permission to travel by the Rotterdam giants.

*The extracts on this page are taken from various newspapers and media outlets. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Aston Villa.