Rangers agree 7.8m-pound fee to sell Cuellar to Villa

Rangers confirmed on Monday they had given the thumbs up to a 7.8-million-pound (10-million-euro) offer from Aston Villa for their Spanish defender Carlos Cuellar.

Now it is down to the 26-year-old to hammer out personal terms with Villa, whose bid activated a release clause in his Rangers' contract.

Cuellar moved to Scotland from Spanish side Osasuna last season and was a key player in their run to the UEFA Cup final, but now leaves just after their humiliating exit from the Champions League to Lithuanian club FBK Kaunas in the qualifying stages.

Rangers manager Walter Smith expressed his disappointment at Cuellar's decision to leave.

He said: “This has come as a surprise and I am disappointed. Carlos Cuellar has been a great player for the football club and inevitably there has been speculation about him playing in the Premiership.

“The club has received a substantial uplift in fee and we will now reinvest in the team.”

Cuellar is set to become Villa's sixth signing of the summer following Curtis Davies, Steve Sidwell, Luke Young, Nicky Shorey and Brad Friedel.