Stewart Downing has hailed manager Martin O’Neill as the deciding factor after completing his £12million move to Villa.

The England winger has signed a four-year deal, after passing a medical, to become the club’s first summer signing.

Downing is unlikely be able to play until October with a broken foot – sustained in a challenge with Stiliyan Petrov playing for Middlesbrough against Villa in May – but that has not stopped the claret and blues equalling their club-record outlay for a player.

He now shares the record with James Milner, who moved from Newcastle for £12million last August.

The former Boro star has revealed his admiration for his new boss as the key to his move.

He said: “I wanted to come as soon as I met Martin O’Neill, so I am delighted it’s now sorted out.

“As soon as I spoke to the manager at the training ground, I wanted to play for Villa and I wanted to play for him.

“He has great ambition and wants to build a good squad to take the club forward. I want to be part of that.”

Downing believes he has made the step to a bigger club in coming to Villa Park from relegated Boro, who will play in the Championship this season.

He said: “I am really pleased to be joining Villa. It’s a massive football club with good ambition.

“It’s certainly been a summer of speculation for me, but I have tried to switch off and get a good break after my injury.

“As an outsider looking in, it was obvious that Villa are a club on the up. You can see a chairman and manager who want to build great things.

“They have done that over the past few seasons, particularly by finishing sixth last time around, which was great.

“But once you get here and see the stadium, the training ground, the people behind the scenes and the manager with his ambition and hopes for the future, it’s even better than you realised.”