Villa tie down young defender

Lichaj: Penned new deal

Aston Villa youngster Eric Lichaj is aiming to mould a successful career at the club after signing a three-year deal.

The American full-back has caught the eye in Villa's pre-season and has been rewarded with extension to his current Villa Park contract.

And the 21-year-old, who went on loan to Lincoln and Leyton Orient last term, has set ambitious targets after inking a new deal.

"I'm delighted to be staying at a great club. I now have a better opportunity to get into the first team," he told the club's official website.

"Hopefully I can help the team to get better than sixth, where they have finished in the past couple of years. But we'll just have to wait and see.

"Hopefully when I start playing here I can get into the USA team. That would be nice."

Lichaj, who holds a Polish passport, hopes for a long-term future in front of the Holte End faithful after admitting he first struggled to deal with the speed of football in England when he moved over the Atlantic in 2007.

"When I first came, I found the pace of the way the English players play was a bit different to in the USA," he added.

"But I have adapted to that now and will hopefully forge a career here for as long as possible."