Boss John Gregory is expected to complete the signing of the Sheffield Wednesday striker Benito Carbone later this week.

Speculation is growing that Gregory will now be making a determined bid to try and push through the capture of the former Inter Milan ace.

Meeting the asking price is of little problem for Gregory, as long as Villa's chairman, Doug Ellis, gives the deal the green light. Gregory has in excess of £5million in his transfer kitty, so paying around £1.2million for Carbone is no trouble.

It's been reported that Carbone will put pen to paper on a four-year contract that will net him £33,000 a week.