Anfield flop: Quitting Liverpool for Premier League rival was a 'relief'

Portugal U21 defender Tiago Ilori joined Aston Villa this summer

TIAGO ILORI says he is "relieved" to have finally ended his Liverpool career after signing for Aston Villa this summer.

 

The Portuguese, 22, joined the Villa Park club on loan from Liverpool before the transfer deadline last week.

He had rejected a switch to Sunderland because, his father said, the city was "too cold".

 

Ilori cost the Reds £7million when he signed from Sporting Lisbon back in 2012.

But he never made an appearance under manager Brendan Rodgers - moving on loan to Granada and Bordeaux over the past two seasons.

And now the centre-back says he is ready to make his Premier League debut under Villa boss Tim Sherwood.

“It was all last-minute so I’m relieved that I had such a good option and I’m very happy to be here," he said, when addressing the transfer in an interview with AVTV.

 

"I can’t say I know everything about Aston Villa’s history but I know that they’re a very stable team.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the Premier League and that’s why I signed for Liverpool in the first place.

"I’m very happy that Aston Villa are hopefully going to give me that chance.”

Villa have started the Premier League season with a win, a draw and two defeats, while they edged Notts County in extra time of their League Cup first-round clash last month.

They play Leicester City away in Sunday's 4pm kick off.