Crouch seals Villa switch

English FA Premiership club Aston Villa FC have completed the signing of 1.98m-tall striker Peter Crouch from Portsmouth FC.

Debut on Saturday
The deal, which could be worth a total of €9.8m including add-on clauses, will allow the former Queens Park Rangers FC forward to make his Premiership debut on Saturday against Bolton Wanderers FC.

England Under-21 debut
Crouch, 21, made his England Under-21 debut last night against Italy, and has scored 19 goals for his club this season.

Club could not stand in his way
A Portsmouth statement read: "The club is, of course, extremely sad to be losing Peter but could not really stand in his way of joining such a big club in the Premiership and with the prospect of European football on the horizon.

'Credit to the club'
"We know every supporter will join with us in wishing Peter all the very best in his new career, which we will all follow with interest. He has been a credit to the club and himself and has endeared himself to everybody."

Massive fee increase
His fee is a far cry from the €98,000 sum paid by QPR to Tottenham Hotspur FC for his services in July 2000, 13 months before his move to Portsmouth