Aston Villa looking at move for £4m defender Ivan Ramis

Aston Villa are pondering a move for £4m-rated defender Ivan Ramis after he insisted he is ready to quit current club Real Mallorca.

Wigan are also launching a late bid for the 27-year-old centre-half who has attracted the attention of former Villa boss Martin O'Neill at Sunderland.

Boss Paul Lambert said: "I think everyone knows that – that we'll try and bring in lads.

"The lads that have come in have fitted in very well, at this moment in time. To be fair, the ones that were already here have been great, let alone anything else.

"We just have to get them to work together and if they do that, they'll be fine."

And Lambert has backed keeper Shay Given to forget about his Euro 2012 nightmare with Ireland.

The 35-year-old will link up with his Villa team-mates after the weekend having been afforded a longer break following his involvement in the tournament in Ukraine and Poland.

Given was on the end of some criticism as Ireland failed to pick up a single point at Euro 2012 which saw them knocked out at the group stage, but Lambert insisted the veteran keeper's international performances are of little consequence to the claret and blues.

"Whether Shay Given played brilliantly in the Euros, or had the tournament he had, it wouldn't matter one jot to me," said Lambert.

"When he comes back my main concern is what he does from now on in. You can't change it what has already happened, so I'm not interested in that.

"It's now that's more important. It's now that is the main focus and we have the chance to rectify what happened last year with the doom and gloom and that's something we have to do.

"Shay's had a brilliant career, he's a really top keeper. He's been brilliant. It's easy to criticise a goalkeeper when a ball goes into the net, I've done it myself, it's easy to turn around and blame them.

"But goalkeepers need help. Every player needs help. Everybody must stick together and if you do that you've got a chance."

Given's international compatriot Richard Dunne will also return for pre-season next Monday and Lambert does not expect to see any kind of post-tournament hangover from the pair.