Official: Villa Agree Cuellar Fee With Rangers

Rangers and Aston Villa have both confirmed that Spanish centre-back Carlos Cuéllar is set to move to Villa Park after a fee was agreed between the two sides for the player...

Cuéllar, 26, arrived at Ibrox last summer from Osasuna in a €3m (£2.37m) move, setting the Scottish Premier League alight with a series of confident performances.

The former Numancia ace won the SPL Player of the Year award last season, as well as the Scottish Football Writers' Player of the Year prize after racking up 36 appearances in the League. He was also integral to the Gers' run to the UEFA Cup final.

However, it now seems that his spell in Govan has come to an end just a single year into his four-season contract after the Teddy Bears agreed to sell him on to Aston Villa.

A statement on the official Rangers website read: "On Sunday morning the player and his representatives informed the Club it was their desire to invoke an exit clause for 10 million Euros and today an offer for that amount was received from Aston Villa.

An offer to extend the player's contract and to increase his salary substantially was declined as the player was adamant it was his desire to leave and play in the Premiership."

As such Villa are likely to unveil their new acquisition tomorrow, subject to the successful completion of a medical.

Personal Ambitions

Cuéllar himself stated that a desire to break through to the Spanish national side was key to his seeking pastures new.

He said, ""I came to Rangers due to the professional manner of their officials and management and their promise of success. Everything I had been told about this fantastic Club has been true and last year's UEFA Cup run is something I will never forget.

"My ambition has always been to play for my national team and I believe that playing in the biggest league in the world for Aston Villa will help me realise that.

"When I told Martin Bain on Sunday that I wanted to leave, I did so with sadness. The Rangers supporters have been fantastic to me, but I am young and want to play at the highest level and I hope they will always welcome me back. I want to thank them for everything."

Rebuilding

Rangers' inability to scale past FBK Kaunas in the second qualifying round of the Champions League may also have played a part in Carlos' desire to move on.

Coach Walter Smith, who just three days ago stated that he expected to have Cuéllar at his disposal for the new season, may now settle on a central pairing of Andy Webster and David Weir, although Kirk Broadfoot is also available.

He said, "This has come as a surprise and I am disappointed. Carlos Cuéllar has been a great player for the Football Club and inevitably there has been speculation about him playing in the Premiership.

"The Club has received a substantial uplift in fee and we will now reinvest in the team."