Having signed Stiliyan Petrov for #8 million from Celtic, Martin O'Neill will today labour frantically to strengthen the Aston Villa squad as the transfer window prepares to close.

There was only one hint - "We are working on a number of things," O'Neill said - to suggest that the Villa manager could sign a striker and, perhaps, a left-back before the midnight deadline.

O'Neill has been associated with a move for Javier Saviola, the Barcelona and Argentina international striker, although the link has come from the player's agent and is not necessarily authentic. Saviola, aged 24, is out of contract next July and Barcelona want to sell him.

Other names have been mentioned - Darius Vassell, the former Villa striker who is now with Manchester City, is the most interesting - but evidence is thin on the ground, especially given O'Neill's adept capacity for keeping his own counsel.

Speaking generically of his plans before the midnight deadline, O'Neill said somewhat intriguingly: "You never know, there might be a bit of movement between now and the closure of the transfer window."

With Randy Lerner, the American billionaire, set to assume control of Villa, money is not as tight as it was during the Doug Ellis era. Lerner is no

Roman Abramovich, who is bankrolling a revolution with Chelsea, but he is willing to give O'Neill appropriate funds to rebuild the squad.

This comes at a time when Villa have made their best start, seven points from three matches, to a season for seven years and are in third position in the Premiership table.

However, even if the club do not make a new signing, the arrival of Petrov will be enough to satisfy the majority of supporters.

The Bulgaria international midfield player flourished under O'Neill with Celtic from 2000 to 2005 and was a pivotal player as Celtic reached the final of the Uefa Cup in 2003. They also won three Scottish League titles together and O'Neill says that "the best years are ahead" of Petrov.

At 27, he is certainly at an age when most players reach their peak and is expected to make his Villa debut away to West Ham United on September 10.

Villa have paid Celtic an initial #6.5 million but there could be extra money totalling #1.5 million. This would make Petrov the second-most expensive player, behind Juan Pablo Angel, who cost #9.5 million in 2001, in Villa's history.

"I think Stiliyan will help us because he is a very good player," O'Neill said. "I've known him for quite some time

and I think he is athletic, young and can also score some goals for us. I think his best years are ahead of him at 27 years old. He's the right age but he's also got plenty of experience behind him.

"He's got that winning mentality from his years at Celtic but I think he had that anyway. I am delighted that we've been able to sign him."

O'Neill's pursuit of Petrov lasted three weeks, involved much frustration, and, once Harry Redknapp became involved, much humour.

Redknapp, in his capacity as manager of Portsmouth, was also trying to sign Petrov. Three days ago, when asked how his pursuit of Petrov was going, Redknapp said: "I think you will find Petrov has gone to Aston Villa."

At that point, neither Villa nor Celtic were willing to announce that the player was bound for Villa Park. It was typical Redknapp. Keeping Villa's pursuit of Petrov quiet was typical O'Neill.

Celtic had no desire to sell Petrov but the player had submitted a transfer request last April and did not conceal his desire to play in the Premiership. When O'Neill became involved, Petrov had already decided that a move to Villa Park was the most appropriate conclusion to a laborious tale.

Petrov had been left out of the Celtic squad to face Hibernian last Saturday, a sign that his days in Scotland were drawing to a close.

Petrov has been described as Bulgaria's best player since Hristo Stoichkov, who graced the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

Celtic's response to his transfer was to sign Thomas Gravesen from Real Madrid on a three-year contract. The Denmark international mid-field player flew to Glasgow on Monday for talks and a medical before returning to the national team camp without signing a contract. He completed the deal last night.

O'Neill was last night contemplating offering a short-term deal to Didier Agathe, the former Celtic utility player, who has been training at Bodymoor Heath for ten days.