Fulham’s relegation from the Premier League has given Aston Villa an opportunity to bolster its defensive corps. Philippe Senderos who is on the Swiss World Cup team signed with Paul Lambert’s side today. The former Arsenal defender will compete for a starting place in the side. Senderos said:

 

“I’m really delighted to be joining Aston Villa, a great club with such a big history, and for me this is a great step in my career,” he said.

“There will be a lot of competition for places with Ron Vlaar, Ciaran Clark, Nathan Baker and Jores Okore also very capable Premier League defenders, so it will be up to me to fight for and to earn my place in the team.

“This is a team and a club which wants to do better, I know this, and hopefully we can all develop together and create something special.

“My goal is to help the team keep as many clean sheets as we can and to help drive Villa where we deserve to be and want to be.

“I have come to an age where I’ve learnt a lot under some great managers such as Arsene Wenger at Arsenal and Ottmar Hitzfeld with the Swiss national team and I’ve built up a lot of experience. I can develop further and continue to get better and this will be my goal – to continue to grow as a player, to help the team to grow and to contribute everything I can through the season.

“With Brad Guzan in Brazil with the USA squad and Ron Vlaar in the Dutch squad, that’s a great deal of experience we’ll be able to bring into the new season and, of course, Ciaran and Jores are also playing in their national teams. It’s good to have this level of pedigree at the heart of the team’s defence.

“I’m also excited to work with Paul Lambert whom I know has a great deal of respect also for Ottmar Hitzfeld and my challenge will be to vindicate the trust he has shown in bringing me to Villa.”

Senderos currently in training for the World Cup under Ottmar Hitzfeld will play for Paul Lambert at Aston Villa. Lambert was a starting midfielder for Hitzfeld’s European Cup winning Borussia Dortmund side in 1997.

A 2005 FA Cup winner with Arsenal, Senderos has won 52 caps for Switzerland scoring 5 goals.