Villa are to enter talks with full-back Luke Young after Middlesbrough confirmed they have agreed a fee believed to be around £5million with Martin O’Neill’s side.

The right-sided defender is expected to start negotiations this morning at Villa Park, with a view to becoming the club’s fourth summer signing.

The 26-year-old has seven full international caps to his credit, in a 10-year career taking in spells at first club Tottenham, Charlton and Boro.

Villa will avert their full-back crisis by signing Middlesbrough’s Luke Young and Reading’s Nicky Shorey.

Boro right-back Young will cost £5m, while a fee of around £4m has been agreed with Reading for left-back Shorey, who was also being courted by Sunderland and Portsmouth.

The England internationals have been given the all-clear to hold talks and no stumbling blocks are anticipated with regard to personal terms.

Both could make their debuts in next Thursday’s UEFA Cup qualifier against FH Hafnarfjardur.

A statement issued on Boro’s website read: “Luke Young is today in talks with Aston Villa after the two clubs agreed a fee. The player is expected to start negotiations this morning.”

Young, who cost Boro £2.5m from Charlton a year ago, was a notable absentee from the Teesside club’s new-season photoshoot yesterday after they caved into Villa’s double-your-money offer. An initial approach was rebuffed at the start of the week.

Boss Gareth Southgate was reluctant to accept but the offer has been deemed too good to turn down by Boro chiefs. The transfer could be sewn up by the close of play today.

The 29-year-old currently earns £20,000 a week on Teeside and could expect to earn half as much again at Villa Park.

While Young has been on Villa boss Martin O’Neill’s radar for over year, his interest in Shorey has developed far more recently.

O’Neill was in the market for a left-back before Freddie Bouma’s horror injury, but with the Dutchman now sidelined for between four and six months, finding a replacement has suddenly become a priority.

Earlier this week, sources close to Shorey indicated the 27-year-old was not on O’Neill’s hit list.

But as Shorey is one of the few left-backs currently available, with Black Cats boss Roy Keane having also held talks, the Villa boss has been forced to act swiftly.

Royals manager Steve Coppell confirmed Shorey’s departure is imminent.

He said: “Without being specific about any destination, I expect Nicky to be gone by the time we kick-off this weekend.”

Just read on Sky Sports that Villa look to have signed Luke Young (Boro) and Nicky Shorey (Reading). Must say that they've done a good job, with Bouma out for a lengthy period and Mellberg having departed they were a club in need of some defensive cover. Landing two decent England-capped defenders for less than £10m should have Villa fans rapt.