Glenn Whelan signs for Aston Villa

Republic of Ireland midfielder Glenn Whelan has signed for English Championship club Aston Villa from Stoke City on a two-year deal.

Whelan arrives in Birmingham following a nine-year spell in the Potteries, during which time he helped City to promotion from the third-tier League One to the Premier League.

There will be at least one familiar face for Whelan in the dressing room in the form of midfielder Conor Hourihane – the pair have trained together, but not played together, for Ireland.

“I have enjoyed happy times at Stoke City but now is the time for a new football adventure – and what a club to join in Aston Villa,” Whelan told the club's official website.

“We may be in the Championship but everything about this club screams Premier League – and it’s the job of the players to get us back up there.

“I am looking forward to working with Steve Bruce.

"I know he has a phenomenal record in achieving promotion to the top-flight and, having spoken to him at length, I am more than aware of how much he wants to get back there again with this great club.”

Whelan played schoolboy football for Cherry Orchard before joining Manchester City, with whom the south Dublin nursery had a hook-up at the time, at the age of 16 in 2000.

He made his debut for the Sky Blues at the age of 19 as a substitute in the Europa League but wasn't able to make the breakthrough and moved on to Sheffield Wednesday the following year.

After four years at Hillsborough, Stoke City paid £500,000 for the Clondalkin native's services and he helped the club to promotion the same season.

Whelan made his international debut in Giovanni Trapattoni's first game in charge against Serbia in 2008, and has gone on to amass 81 caps and played in two European Championships.