Aston Villa have signed England right-back Luke Young from Middlesbrough, who reportedly want Liverpool's Steve Finnan as his replacement.
Young, 29, completed a medical on Thursday evening before becoming the second new full-back to arrive at Villa Park following the capture of Nicky Shorey from Reading earlier in the day.
"I'm really pleased to be here at Villa. It's happened quite quickly. One minute I was training up at Boro and the next I'm down here for a medical," he told Villa's official website.
"Obviously I'm glad to be here now, but it could have been a year earlier. There was interest last summer, but it didn't quite happen for whatever reason. I'm just glad to find myself here now.
"I think this is a great opportunity for me to try and win something. I think at the minute Villa are a notch above Boro, and there's a great opportunity for me to play European football as well."
Boro boss Gareth Southgate reportedly sees Finnan as the ideal replacement for Young, and Rafael Benitez is likely to be open to a transfer as he has Philipp Degen and Alvaro Arbeloa fighting for the right-back spot at Anfield.
Young has seven England caps but has not featured for the national team since a friendly against Argentina in November 2005.
He could make his first competitive appearance for the Villans in next week's UEFA Cup qualifier against FH Hafnarfjordur, and Young admits the promise of European football was a major element in his decision to leave the Riverside Stadium.
"The chance of European football was definitely an important factor in my decision. You always want to test yourself at the highest level," he added.
"I had a brief stint playing European football at Tottenham. But that was almost 10 years ago, and it will be great to get another chance this season.
"It's definitely a case that Villa's ambitions match my own. I've worked hard over the last 10 years to perhaps get this chance to show what I can do on a little bit of a higher stage."
Young spent just a season at Boro after his cut-price £2.5million move from Charlton, following the Addicks' relegation.
He will finally provide Villa with a first-choice right-back after the departure of last year's incumbent Olof Mellberg, who has since left the club for Juventus.
O'Neill added: "The right-back position caused a few problems for us last season, in terms of us not having a natural right-back.
"Luke is a natural right-back and played for England not so long ago. He did very well for Boro last season, and this is a great opportunity for him."
Young is Villa's fifth summer signing after Shorey, Steve Sidwell and goalkeepers Brad Friedel and Brad Guzan.
Young, 29, completed a medical on Thursday evening before becoming the second new full-back to arrive at Villa Park following the capture of Nicky Shorey from Reading earlier in the day.
"I'm really pleased to be here at Villa. It's happened quite quickly. One minute I was training up at Boro and the next I'm down here for a medical," he told Villa's official website.
"Obviously I'm glad to be here now, but it could have been a year earlier. There was interest last summer, but it didn't quite happen for whatever reason. I'm just glad to find myself here now.
"I think this is a great opportunity for me to try and win something. I think at the minute Villa are a notch above Boro, and there's a great opportunity for me to play European football as well."
Boro boss Gareth Southgate reportedly sees Finnan as the ideal replacement for Young, and Rafael Benitez is likely to be open to a transfer as he has Philipp Degen and Alvaro Arbeloa fighting for the right-back spot at Anfield.
Young has seven England caps but has not featured for the national team since a friendly against Argentina in November 2005.
He could make his first competitive appearance for the Villans in next week's UEFA Cup qualifier against FH Hafnarfjordur, and Young admits the promise of European football was a major element in his decision to leave the Riverside Stadium.
"The chance of European football was definitely an important factor in my decision. You always want to test yourself at the highest level," he added.
"I had a brief stint playing European football at Tottenham. But that was almost 10 years ago, and it will be great to get another chance this season.
"It's definitely a case that Villa's ambitions match my own. I've worked hard over the last 10 years to perhaps get this chance to show what I can do on a little bit of a higher stage."
Young spent just a season at Boro after his cut-price £2.5million move from Charlton, following the Addicks' relegation.
He will finally provide Villa with a first-choice right-back after the departure of last year's incumbent Olof Mellberg, who has since left the club for Juventus.
O'Neill added: "The right-back position caused a few problems for us last season, in terms of us not having a natural right-back.
"Luke is a natural right-back and played for England not so long ago. He did very well for Boro last season, and this is a great opportunity for him."
Young is Villa's fifth summer signing after Shorey, Steve Sidwell and goalkeepers Brad Friedel and Brad Guzan.
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