Aston Villa have continued their summer spending in a bid to make their stay in the Championship brief after completing the signing of Leicester defender Ritchie De Laet for an undisclosed fee.
The Belgian full-back, formerly of Manchester United, has signed a three-year contract that will keep him at Villa Park until 2019 and is an experienced asset to add to the squad.
Transfer news: We're pleased to announce the signing of Ritchie De Laet on a three-year deal. #AVFC #WelcomeRitchie pic.twitter.com/tudqbiOHgz
De Laet has previously won the Championship with Leicester in 2013/14, and was part of the Middlesbrough side that earned automatic promotion back to the Premier League last season after moving to Teesside on loan.
Prior to that January switch, De Laet had also played 12 times for Leicester in the Premier League and therefore received a medal when the Foxes were crowned champions at the end of the season.
"I'm pleased to have brought Ritchie to the club," manager Roberto Di Matteo told AVFC.co.uk.
"He is another player who not only has Championship experience but has also played a part in helping a team win promotion back to the Premier League."
Ritchie played his part in both our Championship and Premier League title wins. We thank him for his hard work and wish him every success.
Villa have encountered a difficult start to life in the second tier for the first time in 30 years after winning just one of their opening four games, a 3-0 victory over Rotherham sandwiched between a defeat to Sheffield Wednesday and draws against Huddersfield and Derby.
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