Aston Villa have confirmed the arrival of Lille attacker Anwar El Ghazi on a season-long loan deal.
The Championship outfit can still complete loan signings until the end of the month and manager Steve Bruce has been on the market for two new wingers.
El Ghazi has spent the last 19 months at Lille but has lost his way at the French club after showing real promise with Ajax prior to that.
“I am thrilled to join a football club of the size of Aston Villa,” he told the club’s official website.
“I visited Villa Park late last night after flying in from Holland and it gave me goosebumps.
“I can’t wait to get out there and experience it for real and play in front of such passionate fans.”
With El Ghazi through the door, Villa have reportedly also fended off interest from Middlesbrough for the services of Everton winger Yannick Bolasie.
The 29-year-old is free to leave Everton and find regular first-team football and is understood to have picked Villa over their Championship rivals Boro.
El Ghazi started 19 league games and made a further eight appearances from the bench during his only full campaign at Lille, playing a direct hand in eight goals in that time.
Prior to that, the 23-year-old scored or assisted 30 goals in 58 league games for Ajax.
