CARLOS Cuellar is likely to be a Villa player this season after all after Rangers pulled out of a £2 million deal for their former defender.
Cuellar’s representatives had been discussing an Ibrox return for the Spaniard since Villa accepted the Glasgow club’s second bid last month.
But Rangers have informed the claret and blues they are no longer interested in re-signing the 29-year-old centre-half who they sold to Villa for £7.8 million in August 2008.
It is thought Rangers’ recent elimination from the Champions League might have scuppered the deal with Cuellar’s wages believed to have been among the stumbling blocks.
Alex McLeish will have an extra senior defender to challenge Richard Dunne, James Collins and Ciaran Clark for a central role.
Despite reports linking Cuellar with a return to Spain, there has been no firm interest from clubs in his homeland.
Cuellar had knee surgery at the end of last season but his recovery is on schedule and he will resume light running drills next week.
If all goes according to plan he could be available for selection by the start of September.
Villa only allowed Cuellar permission to speak to Rangers in the first place because a transfer fee for a bit-part player in the final year of his contract and a wage saving of around £35,000 per week would have boosted the club’s coffers during their era of austerity.
