Dunne deal as Villa finally sign up City skipper

limpper SG

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill says they're waiting on an answer from Manchester City defender Richard Dunne about moving to Villa Park.

"There's still some distance to go," O'Neill told Villa's website. "We have agreed a fee and we have been given permission to speak to Richard. He has come down this morning and that's why I said last night that it's a way from being done.

"Until you actually speak to the player and hear his views, you never know. He may well have wanted to stay at Manchester City.

"At this moment, he is happy with what he seen here but he hasn't signed yet. And obviously until things are signed, I won't get too carried away.

"Overall, I'd be delighted if he joined - he would give us that experience and ability. We have permission but I have no further update.

"With all transfers, there are issues to look at, with Richard there's obviously his spell at Manchester City and he's got one or two things to iron out there. I think those are the things that are being taken into consideration as we speak."

Y_Shun SG

Captain playing on bench?!?!

limpper SG

captain is past tense alr

limpper SG

Richard Dunne is set to be given a staggering multi-million pound pay-off by Manchester City ahead of completing his move to Aston Villa.

The Daily Star Sunday says that’s the windfall the Republic of Ireland defender was guaranteed from a testimonial next year – after being bought from Everton for £3m back in October 2000.

Villa have agreed a £6m fee for Dunne but the former City skipper needs to have the final details sorted out on his bumper pay-off.

Old club Everton have been keen on Dunne, too, along with Sunderland.

Yet Villa have won the race and will pay him £52,000 a week to prise him away from the City of Manchester Stadium.

All that remains now is for the City powerbrokers to sort out his compensation.

Y_Shun SG

Hope the deal will not fall through since the transfer window has been shut! 6m seems pretty cheap again....

limpper SG

Hope the deal will not fall through since the transfer window has been shut! 6m seems pretty cheap again....

i read on soccernet that all the paperwork for dunne to come is done, dont know waiting for what then ok liao

limpper SG

Villa were given dispensation to complete a £5million deal for Dunne as negotiations over his departure from Manchester City rumbled on past the 5pm deadline.

Under Premier League rules, Villa were able to continue trying to sign Dunne provided they started formal proceedings to tie up the deal by the 5pm cut-off.

Dunne had passed a medical and settled personal terms with Villa after the clubs agreed a fee before the weekend. But the Ireland defender wanted compensation for giving up a testimonial at City next summer.

He did not ask to leave City and still had three years left on his £55,000-a-week contract. It is believed the initial offer made by City fell well short of what Dunne felt was a reasonable figure.

A source close to the player told the Daily Mail: "Richard believes the initial offer he received from Manchester City was not befitting someone who had given nine years’ service."

Y_Shun SG

Aston Villa have taken their summer spending to £40m after finally confirming the signing of Manchester City skipper Richard Dunne.

The Premier League asked for more time to ratify the deal despite Villa starting to submit the relevant documents before 4pm on deadline day - an hour before the transfer window formally closed.

But Villa were always confident Dunne would become their player after passing a medical and agreeing personal terms. The Football Association were also satisfied with the paperwork presented by Villa but needed the approval of the Premier League.

Dunne becomes Villa's second defensive capture of the past 24 hours after Welsh international James Collins signed from West Ham for £5m.

Manager Martin O'Neill has been desperate to bolster his back four after skipper Martin Laursen retired and Zat Knight was sold to Bolton.

He said: "Richard Dunne is the kind of person we are looking for.''

Dunne's days at Eastlands appeared to be numbered after the arrival of Kolo Toure from Arsenal and then Joleon Lescott from Everton.

Villa started the current campaign with only two experienced centre-backs in Curtis Davies and Carlos Cuellar. The need for new blood became even more pressing after Davies started to suffer more regular recurrences of his long standing shoulder problem and he may need surgery.

O'Neill was forced to blood 19-year-old Ciaran Clark alongside Cuellar in Sunday's 2-0 home success over Fulham.

Villa agreed a fee last week with City for Dunne but the deal dragged on past the weekend because the player wanted to sort out financial issues relating to the remaining three years of his contract. Dunne would have been entitled to a testimonial next summer when he would have completed a decade of service at City.

Villa skipper Stiliyan Petrov said: "He's the captain of Ireland, he's been the captain of Manchester City. You love to see players like that coming to this club.

"Martin Laursen was a big player for us, with his presence and his influence. But he, like Gareth Barry, is now gone and we need to get on without him. The arrival of Dunne will help us to do that.''

Villa had previously splashed out £29 million since the end of last season on Stewart Downing (£12m), Stephen Warnock (£8m), Fabian Delph (£6m) and Habib Beye (£3m).£3m

ASKL! SG

Seems good and cheap :)
Liverpool should buy him..