Houllier backing Makoun to shine

Gerard Houllier believes January signing Jean Makoun will prove an invaluable addition for Aston Villa.

Villa boss believes midfielder will provide missing link

Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier believes January signing Jean Makoun will prove an invaluable addition for the Midlanders. Houllier raided French club Lyon for the 27-year-old Cameroon international for £6million prior to the January transfer window closing. Makoun has made a bright start to life at Villa Park, making his debut in their win over Wigan before featuring against Manchester United and Fulham. Houllier feels the midfielder brings crucial experience to his squad and will provide more ammunition for their strikers. "He is an experienced player. He is a proper link between the midfield and the strikers," he said. "He has played in the Champions League. He'll be a good asset for the future." Makoun misses out on international duty as a precautionary measure and Houllier hopes all of his internationals stars return unscathed. "You have mixed feelings. First you are proud for the club and for the fans that some players have gone off to internationals, whether it's at first-team level or youth level," he continued. "At the same time you are always worried and there's a little bit of anguish that there's no major injuries that they get from the internationals, but that's just football."