Villa complete Amavi signing

Aston Villa are eyeing up a move for QPR hitman Charlie Austin as they seek a replacement for Liverpool-bound striker Christian Benteke, according to the Sunday Mirror.

French defender Jordan Amavi has officially agreed to a five-year deal with Aston Villa.

Scott Sinclair has joined on a permanent deal, while Idrissa Gueye, Mark Bunn and Micah Richards have also arrived.

Amavi is only 21, but has already shown bundles of promise playing in Ligue 1 over the past two season and progressed enormously last season as he missed just two league games.

The high level of transfer activity has left Villa fans anxious about the start of the new season having narrowly avoided relegation in May.

Amavi, who was linked with a move to Arsenal in the past, has been tipped to break in to Didier Deschamps’ France squad for next summer’s European Championships which are being hosted in the country.

Amavi broke into the first-team at Nice in the 2013-14 campaign, and made 36 Ligue 1 appearances for the club last term, scoring four goals. “While his team-mates were on the road to Waregem, the young left-back headed for England”.

Amavi’s main strengths include beating a man for pace down the wing and putting in a good cross, so it will be interesting to see if Villa buy a like for like replacement for their Belgian powerhouse.