Taylor excited by Villa's striker competition

Graham Taylor has admitted he bought Marcus Allback because he expected unsettled club record signing Juan Pablo Angel to quit Aston Villa.

But Taylor is delighted to have fierce competition for places up front with Darius Vassell plus Peter Crouch also battling for a spot in the starting line-up.

Taylor had been virtually resigned to losing the services of Angel because the former River Plate striker was unhappy at the way he and his family had been treated by the club on their arrival in England.

That was a major reason for Taylor signing Allback for a bargain £2m (€3.16m) from Heerenveen before he took part in the World Cup.

But Colombia international Angel has so far not asked to leave and Villa have received no concrete offer for the player.

Taylor said: "I did not think that Juan Pablo would be with us at this stage of the season.

"I was so sure when I came back to Villa that he would have joined another club, that I went out and signed Marcus Allback.

"I had to buy Allback because I thought we would have an offer for Angel that was acceptable to this club.

"But I don't have a problem with it. Both Juan Pablo and I know the situation. No clubs have come in for him and he is still a Villa player. He hasn't asked to leave the club.

"If I can go into the Premiership season with Juan Pablo and Marcus plus Darius Vassell and Peter Crouch in the squad, to name just four, then I am not going to be disappointed."