Aston Villa signing Karim El Ahmadi is ready to lock horns with the Premier League's best.

Arsenal's Alex Song and Mikel Arteta, along with Everton's Marouane Fellaini are the opponents he is particularly looking forward to testing himself against.

The 27-year-old earned the nickname 'The Governor' bossing the centre of the park in the Eredivisie but knows he now faces the toughest test of his credentials.

"I think the best midfielders in the Premier League are people like Song from Arsenal," he told the Sunday Mercury.

"I have played against him with Morocco against the Cameroon national team. I like Arteta also.

''Fellaini I played with in the youth team of Morocco. So those are the kind of players it will be nice to play against.

''I am looking forward to seeing where I stand alongside those guys. That, for me, will be a challenge.''