Aston Villa are set to bid for Middlesbrough defender David Wheater.

The Mail on Sunday says Martin O'Neill was being linked with an £8million swoop for Middlesbrough defender Wheater after Aston Villa saw off Italian side Fiorentina in a pre-season friendly at Villa Park.

The Villa manager took the 350-mile round trip to the Riverside with his assistant John Robertson and chief scout Ian Storey-Moore to watch Wheater in Boro's 0-0 Championship opener against Sheffield United on Friday night.