He added: “I’m very happy, I think it’s a step forward in my career and a step that I was ready to take and I’m really happy to arrive at Aston Villa. I think it’s the perfect opportunity for me and I want to make the most of it.

“It’s a project that, in the last year, has evolved very quickly. When the gaffer arrived, the team was fighting in a different circumstance in the league, and they finished by qualifying for Europe. 

“I think that was a big step for the club and this shows that they have the ambition to improve year after year, and this year, I hope we can position ourselves higher up in the league table.”