Czech bounces into Villa: Libor Kozák signs

Villa have pulled off a late deal to sign Lazio striker Libor Kozák – the leading scorer in last season’s Europa League on a four year deal.

"I'm really happy to be at Aston Villa and I'm ready for this new step in my career," said  Kozak.

"I hope it's a good step for me and also for Villa because everything is about the team. This is a big club, a very historic club with a fantastic fanbase and, for me, this is really important. From when I was a young boy, I have dreamt of playing in the Premier League and to do this with a club such as Villa is incredibly motivating. It's real now and I'm very happy about this."

Despite smashing them in all over Europe, the 24-year-old Czech Republic international failed to get on the score sheet in Serie A where he was very much in the shadow of Miroslav Klose.

At 6ft 3in he gives another lofty option to a Villa attacking squad which already boasts Christian Benteke, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Andreas Weismann, Jordan Bowery and Nicklas Helenius.

Kozak is Villa’s seventh signing this summer and we have also tied down several of our exciting young prospects to new contracts.

Paul Lambert said "Libor has an unbelievable scoring record in the Europa League, incredible really. He wasn't given much opportunity for Lazio in Serie A but he showed proper potential in leading the line there at a strong club with a great tradition and we need somebody like him as we only have Christian Benteke really as a main target man.

"He'll take that burden off Christian and he'll add greatly to what we've got, with the likes of Nicklas Helenius, who's a different type of player, Gabby Agonlahor, Aleks Tonev and Andi Weimann in that area of the pitch where we can hurt teams. Libor's powerful, too, and I'm looking forward to working with him. We needed to bring in someone like Libor to help the overall philosophy to work.

"It's a matter of him now integrating with the group, which he'll do. We've brought in seven players this summer and we're trying to build the squad. It's getting there, no doubt about that and we'll keep building it."