Aston Villa sign Robert Pirès
Veteran French international Robert Pirès will join Aston Villa later this week.
The 37-year-old former Arsenal midfielder is available on a free transfer after his contract with Spanish side Villarreal expired in the summer, and will add much needed experience to fellow Frenchman Gérard Houllier’s young squad.
Pirès won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups with the Gunners, and returns to English football having left the north Londoners in 2006.
Once voted Arsenal’s sixth greatest player of all time, Pirès won the 2002 Footballer of the Year award whilst with the Gunners, a club he joined following his early career in France with Metz and Marseille. He was a member of the French squads which won both the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
“Robert has been training at Arsenal,” said Villa assistant manager Gary McAllister.
“I know the boss and Arsène Wenger are very friendly and I believe he's going to join us in the next two or three days.
“It's perfect. I am sure he will arrive at the training ground in good condition. He's a player everyone can look up to because of what he has achieved.”
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