By Chris Burton Last updated: 25th July 2008
Friedel: Close to Rovers exit
Aston Villa have been granted permission to begin talks with Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel.
Villa have already seen a £2million offer accepted by their Premier League rivals and were waiting to be given the green light to discuss personal terms.
With Rovers closing in on England international Paul Robinson, Martin O'Neill confirmed that discussions with the veteran American shot-stopper will now be held as soon as possible.
"We've been given permission to speak to the player and that's something that we want to do," the Ulsterman told the club's official website.
"But there are still a lot of things to happen.
"We're in the process of strengthening the squad and this is all part of our efforts to add strength in depth."

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| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Sunday 21st March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Man Utd vs Liverpool |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Man City |
| 16:00 | Blackburn vs Chelsea |
| Tuesday 23rd March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | West Ham vs Wolverhampton |
| Wednesday 24th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Aston Villa vs Sunderland |
| 19:45 | Man City vs Everton |
| 19:45 | Portsmouth vs Chelsea |
| 20:00 | Blackburn vs Birmingham |
| Saturday 27th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Birmingham vs Arsenal |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | Hull vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Portsmouth |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Wolverhampton vs Everton |
| 17:30 | Bolton vs Man Utd |
| Sunday 28th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:00 | Burnley vs Blackburn |
| 16:00 | Liverpool vs Sunderland |
| Monday 29th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Man City vs Wigan |
| Friday 2nd April | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Wigan |
| Saturday 3rd April | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Man Utd vs Chelsea |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 20th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 2 - 2 Wolverhampton | |
| Stoke 1 - 2 Tottenham | |
| Everton 2 - 0 Bolton | |
| Wigan 1 - 0 Burnley | |
| Arsenal 2 - 0 West Ham | |
| Portsmouth 3 - 2 Hull | |
| Sunderland 3 - 1 Birmingham | |
| Tuesday 16th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wigan 1 - 2 Aston Villa | |
| Monday 15th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Liverpool 4 - 1 Portsmouth | |
| Sunday 14th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 3 - 0 Fulham | |
| Sunderland 1 - 1 Man City | |
| Saturday 13th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Tottenham 3 - 1 Blackburn | |
| Bolton 4 - 0 Wigan | |
| Birmingham 2 - 2 Everton | |
| Stoke 0 - 0 Aston Villa | |
| Chelsea 4 - 1 West Ham | |
| Burnley 1 - 2 Wolverhampton | |
| Hull 1 - 2 Arsenal | |
| Wednesday 10th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Burnley 1 - 1 Stoke | |
| Tuesday 9th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 4 - 0 Bolton | |
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