Villa confirm loan signing of Tom Cleverley
Aston Villa have finally managed to snap up Tom Cleverley on loan from Manchester United.
It appeared as though Villa would sign the 25-year-old in a permanent £8million deal on deadline day.
United accepted their offer and the England midfielder headed down the M6 for a medical, but the move appeared doomed after it broke down over salary expectations.
Villa boss Paul Lambert had given up on a permanent deal in the hours before the window closed and feared he was heading to Everton.
The Toffees attempted to hijack the deal when chairman Bill Kenwright opened talks with United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, but saw a £5.5m bid rejected.
That gave Villa hope of reviving the deal and Lambert was still at Bodymoor Heath in the early hours of this morning, waiting to discover if the paperwork was received by the Premier League in time.
And, this afternoon, he was informed Cleverley's move has been ratified by the Premier League board and he is their player until January.
Villa's offer was accepted by United last week and both Lambert and assistant manager Roy Keane had held talks with the England international in an attempt to convince him to join.
Villa have an option to buy Cleverley, who is in the final year of his contract, at the end of his loan if he impresses.
Cleverley, who is set to make his debut at Liverpool after the international break, becomes Lambert's sixth major summer signing.
He arrives after Joe Cole, Philippe Senderos, Kieran Richardson, Aly Cissokho and Carlos Sanchez.