De Laet leaves Leicester for Aston Villa

Belgian defender Ritchie de Laet has left Premier League champions Leicester City for a move across the Midlands to Championship side Aston Villa, it was announced on Tuesday.

De Laet, 27, has arrived at Villa Park on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee, having helped Leicester win the Premier League title last season as well as being a member of the Middlesbrough team that gained promotion to the top flight while on loan to the north-east side.

He spent the first half of last season at Leicester, making 12 league appearances for the title-winning Foxes, before joining Championship side Boro on loan in February.

In all, De Laet made 129 appearances for Leicester in four years after joining from Manchester United, while also winning promotion to the Premier League with the Foxes in 2014.

Villa manager Roberto di Matteo said: “I’m very pleased to have brought Ritchie to the club.

“He is another player who not only has Championship experience but has also played a part in helping a team win promotion back to the Premier League.”