Brad Friedel has revealed he is delighted to have finally completed a move to Aston Villa, and hopes that the club do not give up in their quest for signing another American goalkeeper, Brad Guzan.

"Once I had sat in the same room as Martin O'Neill and the Villa owner Randy Lerner it was an easy decision," said the American.

"Once I had come to the conclusion in my mind that I was prepared to leave Blackburn, where I had been for eight years, it was straightforward to sign a contract with Villa.

"The professionalism they have and their ambitions to go forward were fantastic. The negotiations were not long or hard. They were straightforward and amicable.

"Villa Park is one of the grounds I always looked forward to playing at. It has a big club feel about it when you turn up at the ground and I am really looking forward to my first game."