Villa fail in late bid to sign Joe Cole

Villa today failed in a late bid to sign Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole who has opted to join French club Lille on a season-long loan deal.

Manager Alex McLeish is desperate to sign a creative midfielder before the transfer window slams and Villa attempted to hijack the move for the England international with the promise of regular first-team football.

But the lure of Champions League football with Lille has proved too much of a pull for Cole, who will spend the season with the Ligue 1 club rather than move to Villa Park.

McLeish may now turn his attention to Cheslea midfielder Yossi Benayoun, although wages are thought to be a stumbling block.

Villa will also aim to wrap up the signings of full-backs Alan Hutton from Tottenham and Enda Stevens from Shamrock Rovers.