THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BIRMINGHAM, England — Aston Villa has agreed a fee of 3.5 million pounds (C$6 million) to sign Emile Heskey from Wigan and is discussing personal terms with the England striker, the Premier League club said Friday.
Villa manager Martin O’Neill is keen to be reunited with the 31-year-old forward, who helped Leicester win the League Cup in 1997 and 2000 during their previous stint together.
"I have kept an eye on Emile’s career," O’Neill said. "Something levelled at Emile is that he doesn’t score enough goals and I am sure he probably thinks exactly the same.
"But it doesn’t mean he hasn’t made a massive difference in other areas. Confidence is always a big thing with Emile. When his confidence is high, he is always a player."
Heskey could have left Wigan on a free transfer at the end of the season when his contract expires.
Villa is pushing to stay in contention for Champions League qualification, with the American-owned club occupying fourth spot in the Premier League standings.
After three years out of the England team, his international career was revived in 2007 under Steve McClaren and he has continued to feature under current manager Fabio Capello.