Villa strike deal for Charles N’Zogbia
Monday 25th July 2011, 11:30AM BST.
Villa today struck a deal with Wigan to sign winger Charles N’Zogbia for a fee of £9.5million as manager Alex McLeish closes in on his second major signing.
Latics owner Dave Whelan had publicly demanded £10million for the French wide-man but. with both parties keen to push through the move. an agreement over the fee has now been reached.
N’Zogbia is currently on a short break in Dubai and will fly back for a medical and agree personal terms to become Villa’s second capture, after the £3.5million signing of Shay Given.
McLeish is a long-time admirer of N’Zogbia and came within a whisker of signing the 25-year-old when he was manager of Birmingham but, barring any last-minute glitches, he will finally get his man.
Everton are also interested in signing N’Zogbia – who had also been linked with Sunderland and Newcastle – but transfers funds are tight at Goodison Park and they are unlikely to be able to match Wigan’s asking price leaving Villa in prime position to land the player.
McLeish had made the capture of N’Zogbia, who is out of contract in June 2012, his top priority after the departures of Stewart Downing to Liverpool and Ashley Young to Manchester United.
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