Villa boss Martin O’Neill today defended his sluggish transfer pace – hoping that the knock-on effect of Joleon Lescott’s £24m move will not deal him another blow.

Villa want to bring in Portsmouth’s Sylvain Distin as a replacement for Martin Laursen and are thought to have agreed a deal for the defender.

But yesterday’s completion of Lescott’s mind-boggling switch to Manchester City has released Everton on to the same market with heavy funds to set up a rival bid for Distin.

O’Neill has so far only replaced the same number he has lost this summer, despite admitting his squad needed major strengthening.

He reckons the rest of the market reflects the problems, however, saying: “The proof of how difficult it might be is in the fact a number of Premier League clubs have not done a great deal of business.”

Villa have bids lodged for both Distin and Blackburn’s Stephen Warnock, at around £4m, while they also have an interest in City’s Richard Dunne and Newcastle’s Steven Taylor. But they will now find their footsteps being dogged by Everton.

O’Neill said: “I cannot comment on any individual. But we are still looking to bolster the squad.”

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp today revealed he recommended Sol Campbell to O’Neill. The former England defender, 34, yesterday agreed a five-year contract with League Two Notts County worth £10m.

“It wasn’t possible to bring him back to Tottenham but I’m surprised no one took him in the Premier,” said Redknapp. “I spoke to Martin four weeks ago and he said he was looking for a central defender and I said, ‘I’d take Sol Campbell’. That’s how highly I rate him still.”