London - Derby County will complete the signing of Emanuel Villa Friday, provided he passes a medical and receives his international clearance. Manager Paul Jewell has agreed terms on a 2-million-pound (3.94-million-dollars) deal for the Argentinian forward with his Mexican club UAG Tecos.
Villa will not be signed in time to make his debut in Derby's FA Cup tie against Championship side Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday.
The 25 year old has played for five clubs in the last seven years: Huracan, Atletico Rafaela and Rosario Central in Argentina, and Atlas and Tecos in Mexico.
Derby, bottom of the Premier League by eight points, and having scored just 10 goals in 21 games, are in desperate need of increased firepower.
They have also been it by a string of injuries, the most recent of them to Jay McEveley.
The left-back suffered a knee injury in Wednesday's last-gasp defeat to Bolton, and scans revealed ligament damage that will keep him out for at least three months.
