Aston Villa have signed defender Matt Targett from Southampton, the Premier League clubs have announced.

PA understands the promoted Villans have paid £11.5million for the 23-year-old Saints Academy graduate.

The move ends Targett's 15-year association with his boyhood club having joined them at the age of eight.

Targett has made 63 appearances for Southampton, including 21 last season, after making his debut in 2014. He also had a loan spell at Fulham during the 2017-18 campaign.

Villa head coach Dean Smith told the club's website, www.avfc.co.uk: "We're very pleased to have Matt join us. He's a player we have been looking at for a considerable amount of time.

"He fits our criteria of being a young player with experience of playing in the Premier League and having the potential to develop further.

"He will help make us a stronger defensive unit and we are all looking forward to working with him."