Aston Villa signed French defender Aly Cissokho from Spanish club Valencia on Friday. Cissokho agreed a four-year contract with Villa as the left-back made a quick return to the Premier League after spending last season on loan at Liverpool.

"Aly Cissokho has joined us on a four-year deal from ValenciaCF, subject to international clearance," a post on Villa's official Twitter feed announced.

The 26-year-old, who has one cap for France, made 15 Premier League and four cup appearances for Liverpool and is believed to have cost Villa in the region of £2 million ($3.3 million).

Cissokho, who won the Portuguese league title during his time at Porto and the French Cup while at Lyon, is Villa manager Paul Lambert's fourth signing since the end of last term.

He follows Philippe Senderos, Joe Cole and Kieran Richardson to Villa Park.