Berger agrees Villa move

Portsmouth midfielder Patrik Berger is poised to join Aston Villa after agreeing personal terms with the midlands club.

Berger, who is out of contract at Fratton Park this summer, has agreed to sign a two-year deal with Villa.

The Czech international moved to Portsmouth two years ago after spending seven seasons with Liverpool.

It has been common knowledge for several months that Villa manager David O'Leary has wanted to sign the 31-year-old and now the move is close to reaching its conclusion.

Berger's agent Barry Silkman confirmed: "There has been a lot of interest in Patrik but he is going to Aston Villa. It is a done deal."

Berger is formally set to join Villa when his contract expires at the end of the month and O'Leary is hoping it will be the first of several new arrivals at the club.

He has around £15million to spend after chairman Doug Ellis loosened the purse strings and has already given him a wish list of players.

A striker is one of O'Leary's priorities and he has already been linked with Southampton's Kevin Phillips and Liverpool's Milan Baros.

But he is keen to draft in several new faces to supplement one of the smallest squads in the Barclays Premiership.

Berger scored three goals during the current campaign for Pompey and has won 40 caps for his country.