Last seasons SPL Player of the Year Carlos Cuellar is set to sign for Aston Villa after the Villans agreed a £7.8million (€10m) fee with Glasgow Rangers.

26-year-old Cuellar has not yet agreed personal terms at Villa Park, but the ‘Old Firm’ side consider it a done deal, with the deal complete subject to the Spaniard having a medical for Martin O’Neill’s team.

Gers manager Walter Smith had claimed last week that Cuellar would not be sold after the Scottish side crashed out of the Champions League, but it is believed the offer from the Midlands side was enough to trigger a clause in the defender’s contract.

Cuellar told Rangers he wanted to leave Ibrox at the weekend, with Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Liverpool all linked to the central-defender along with Villa.

Rangers tried to keep Cuellar by offering him an improved deal, but this was rejected due to his desire to play in the Premier League.

Cuellar told the Rangers website: “My ambition has always been to play for my national team and I believe that playing in the biggest league in the world for Aston Villa will help me realise that.

“When I told [chief executive] Martin Bain on Sunday that I wanted to leave, I did so with sadness.

“The Rangers supporters have been fantastic to me, but I am young and want to play at the highest level and I hope they will always welcome me back.

“I want to thank them for everything.”

Smith is disappointed to lose a player he only signed a year ago from La Liga side Osasuna for £2.4million (€3m), but said that the money from the transfer would be reinvested in the team.

Smith 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.”