Holman is backing El Ahmadi to shine at Aston Villa

Brett Holman today backed fellow Dutch league import Karim El Ahmadi to make a big impact in the Premier League for Aston Villa this season.

El Ahmadi has caught the eye with some impressive performances in pre-season for the claret and blues following his £2.5m move from Feyenoord.

Ex-AZ Alkmaar playmaker Holman, who played against the Moroccan international in Holland, predicted big things from El Ahmadi.

"I've played against Karim quite a few times in Holland and you can see what sort of player he is if you study the footage. He stands out in the teams he's played at," said Holman.

"He played at FC Twente and also Feyenoord. When he was at Twente he was one of the up-and-coming midfield players who was very highly thought of and was tipped to make it big. He was the big talent.

"He's progressed a lot as a player and at Feyenoord he matured as a player. He never loses the ball and has fantastic technique. He's got a typical Dutch way of thinking and is forward looking. He's going to be exciting and Villa are lucky to have him that's for certain."

* Michael Drennan scored his fifth goal of pre-season as a youthful Villa XI side lost 2-1 to Chester in a friendly on Saturday.