Aston Villa will have to wait until Wednesday to formally complete the signing of Manchester City skipper Richard Dunne on a four-year contract in a £6 million deal.
The Premier League have asked for more time to ratify the deal even though Villa began submitting the relevant documents before 4pm on Tuesday - an hour before the transfer window formally closed.
Villa remain confident Dunne will become their player after a nine season spell at City after passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.
And the Football Association are satisfied with the paperwork presented by Villa.
But Villa formally need the approval of the Premier League before they can announce Dunne's capture.
Villa had earlier in the day signed West Ham defender James Collins for around £5 million.
Dunne's days at Eastlands appeared to be numbered after the arrival of Kolo Toure from Arsenal and then Joleon Lescott from Everton.
But his arrival - along with Collins - at Villa Park will provide Martin O'Neill with the kind of experienced centre-back he has been looking for since the retirement of Martin Laursen at the end of last season with a knee injury.
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Playing the 4-3-3 worked well against Liverpool and Fulham - the key to giving yourself a good chance to win in the Premiership is to keep a clean sheet; with the new defensive line-up and the strength in midfield shown there is always going to be a good chance of that. Get the ball wide to Ash and Milner and the likes of Big John and Gabby are good enough to score 15 - 20 goals a season each.
I agree with Chris on the Tuncay comment. He would have been an interesting asset to the squad. I agree with guffstar69 on the points made about Dunne not being an adequate replacement for Laursen and where is the replacement for Barry??? What Delph???? In few years maybe but not now. Although I like S. Downing as a player did we really need another left winger. Who would you pick Downing or Young? No contest.
I thought Kranjcar from Pompey would have been a good signing. What do other people think? M.O.N seems to have a problem with buying non British players, although I do like to have the nucleus of the squad British, I do think some foreign players can be very good and Kranjcar has played in the Prem for a few years now and surely has a good command of the English language.
great 2 signing but i stll think we need a great goal scorer and a play marker someone who can make some thing out of nothing don't think we will get in the top 6th this year
More dissapointment on deadline day.Dunne is no replacement for Laursen but I know little of Collins to be fair.
The big issue is no replacement for Barry.O'neil has known since last year that Barry was going.Plenty of time to sort out a replacement but he bungles again.
Another thing, why was he tring to offload Shorey ?
He uses the size of the squad as an excuse yet does his best to keep it the same size.
Please Randy, get rid !
sorry Roger never thought Villa were in the Elite, good side but you never think of them going to win anything, no offence but top 10 side only as in every season
As a villa fan I'm really happy with the players we have singed its a dam shame we didn't get tuncay tho!!
Thank goodness, been looking for news on this transfer all evening. With Collins and Dunne in the Villa fold I am sure Villa can be back among the Premier Division elite. Nice Business
Martin O'Niell
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