Gabriel Agbonlahor urges Aston Villa team-mate Fabian Delph to sign new contract
Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor has urged his team-mate Fabian Delph to sign a new contract with the club.
The 27-year-old renewed his deal with the Villans on Wednesday and committed his future to the Premier League outfit until June 2018.
Delph, who has been at Villa since 2009, will become a free agent next summer, and Agbonlahor wants the 24-year-old midfielder to prolong his association with the Midlands club.
"For me, as a close friend and team-mate, I’d love nothing more," he told the Daily Mirror.
"Fabian does a lot of extra training out of football. He is the most dedicated player I have seen so far since I have been here.
"He would rather do extra training than go for a beer. That is his mentality, he wants to achieve big and go far."
Having come off the bench against Norway at Wembley last Thursday, Delph made his full England debut in Monday night's European Qualifier away to Switzerland, and won acclaim for his performance.
The Villa man collected an early booking in Basel but went on to deliver a disciplined midfield display for the rest of the 90 minutes.
Agbonlahor added: "I watched him at home for England and he didn’t look out of place - he was one of the best players in both games. That is what England have been missing - someone who can drive forward with that pace.
“He suits England and he suits us. When he comes back, he will still be putting in the hard work and giving the performances. With his personality, he will still have his feet on the ground.”