Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill closes in on first signing of summer

Jul 15 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

MARTIN O’Neill is closing in on his first signing of the summer in Portsmouth defender Sylvain Distin.

The 31-year-old’s arrival at Villa Park could be within days and will signal the departure of Zat Knight to Bolton.

Only a late bid from Liverpool, who have shown an interest this summer in the former Manchester City and Newcastle centre-back, would appear capable of scuppering the deal.

The transfer should cost somewhere in the region of £2 million-£3 million because of his age, 31, and the fact Distin’s contract runs out at the end of the coming season.

O’Neill is also looking to progress moves for Stewart Downing and Fabien Delph while a second centre-back is also a necessity when Knight leaves with only a trio of rookies in Ciaran Clark, Nathan Baker and Shane Lowry to fall back on with any of those three likely to be loaned out this term.

For Distin it will be a case of arriving and then trying to make up for lost time.