David O'Leary feels Aston Villa have got the better end of Nolberto Solano's exit.
David O'Leary feels Aston Villa have got the better end of Nolberto Solano returning to Newcastle, as the club have secured James Milner on loan in return.Villa paid £1.5 million during the 2004 January transfer window for Solano and wanted to recoup that money in return for allowing him to go back to the North East.
The Midlands outfit were keen to retain Solano, but once the Peruvian ace made clear his desire to leave the club they looked to secure the best deal possible.
"Nobody at the club wanted Nobby to leave. So we initially rejected Newcastle's offer," explained O'Leary to the club's official website.
"But Nobby made it very clear that he wanted to leave. There is clearly no point in trying to hold on to a player under those circumstances.
"We were determined to ensure his departure benefited Aston Villa. It was important not to lose the momentum of our recent work in the transfer market.
"We held out for a fee that reflects what we paid to Newcastle and also insisted that James Milner was included in the package.
"When you consider what we've got in return for a player who wanted to be elsewhere, we've definitely got the best of the deal."
