Steve Sidwell completed his £5m transfer from Chelsea to Aston Villa last night and revealed that he hopes he can propel the club into the top four.

The 25-year-old midfielder, who has signed a three-year contract after failing to make an impact at Stamford Bridge, also admitted that Martin O'Neill was a major influence on his decision to join Villa.

"His reputation goes before him," said Sidwell. "When I sat down with him, he was fantastically enthusiastic. Having spoken to the manager and the chairman and listened to their views on the future, I am sure they want to push the club forward and we all collectively want to break into that top-four category."