Villa close to Sidwell swoop
08 Jul 2008 - 08:04:51
Aston Villa are on the verge of completing their first signing of the summer with the £5million capture of midfielder Steve Sidwell from Chelsea.
Sidwell, 25, will join the Midlands club after holding talks with new Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari following his arrival at Stamford Bridge on Monday.
The former England Under-21 international is expected to be told he remains well down the pecking order and is free to leave the club.
Sidwell made only 25 appearances for the Blues last season, having previously made his name with Reading.
Meanwhile, Villa boss Martin O'Neill has admitted he is primed to enter the transfer market after a quiet start to the close-season.
Much of the summer transfer talk involving the Midlands club has surrounded the future of captain and Liverpool target Gareth Barry.
However, Villa have been linked with a host of players, including David Bentley, Aaron Lennon and Paul Robinson, and O'Neill is keen to begin bolstering his squad.
"We are in the market - strongly - for players," he told The Guardian. "We are lighter than last year.
"But I'm convinced we will start the season more strongly, in terms of a squad.
"Gareth's situation has been an issue, unquestionably, but we have not taken our eye off the ball.
"Bids have been going in. Negotiations are taking place on various fronts. It's just that we do not have anything official to announce just yet.
"However, I anticipate there will be significant additions."
