Aston Villa have completed the signing of defender Curtis Davies from West Bromwich Albion for an undisclosed fee.
Davies, 23, made the switch across Birmingham last year on a season-long loan, but a ruptured Achilles tendon ruled him out for most of the season.
The deal had threatened to scupper a permanent move, with Davies unlikely to be fit for the start of the new season.
However, it has now gone through, with Davies having signed a four-year deal under Martin O'Neill at Villa Park.
And the centre-half, who was signed by West Brom from Luton for £3m in 2005, is targeting a return to full fitness in time to face his former club on 20 September.
"I think everyone knows what game I'm targeting," he told the Villa website. "It's a very tight thing but potentially I think I can be back for that.
"Obviously it will be down to the gaffer and I hope the team that starts the season gets off to a flier. I'm not going to expect to walk straight back into the team for any game.
"I just need to keep progressing, really. I can't worry about any one individual game, as much as I'd love to play that game, there's a lot more to the season - hopefully with a long European campaign coming up.
"I need to make sure I'm right for the whole season and not just the one game."
BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Aston Villa | Permanent Villa move for Davies
Aston Villa sign Curtis Davies from WBA
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