Thursday 2 July 2015 14:27, UK
Aston Villa have agreed a transfer fee of £9m with Lille to sign their midfielder Idrissa Gueye, according to Sky sources.
The 25-year-old Senegalese, who has played more than 130 games for the French Ligue 1 side, flew into Birmingham Airport on Thursday, ahead of talks and a medical.
If the deal is completed, Villa will have paid their highest transfer in four years since the signing of Charles N'Zogbia from Wigan in 2011.
Gueye - an athletic, strong, holding midfield player - was Lille's standout performer in the French top flight last term as the club finished 8th.
He was born in Dakar in Senegal but rose through the youth ranks at Lille after his family moved to France.
Gueye is set to become manager Tim Sherwood's third summer signing, following the arrivals of Micah Richards and Scott Sinclair from Manchester City.