New Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has revealed that Stiliyan Petrov will remain the club's captain next season.

The Bulgarian is not expected to feature at all for the Villans during the new campaign as he continues his battle with acute leukaemia.

While admitting that he is searching for a new skipper on the pitch, Lambert has insisted that 32-year-old Petrov will retain the captaincy.

"Stiliyan is still club captain, no doubt. Even if I wasn't manager of Aston Villa, his health is more important to me than anything," Lambert told the club's official website.

"I just need to look for a team captain but I wouldn't take anything away from Stiliyan for what he's done here and what he's going through at the minute.

"He is a huge influence on this football club. I will go down and see him again, I text him and see how he's feeling."

Gabriel Agbonlahor took over the skippering duties from Petrov for the final few games of last season.