NOLBERTO SOLANO had the chance to say farewell to his old Newcastle teammates last night - after checking into the same hotel as Sir Bobby Robson's squad.

Aston Villa this week swooped to land Solano for £1.5m, and the winger goes straight into the side at Leicester today.

Newcastle, in the Midlands readying themselves for their visit to Birmingham, were surprised when Solano turned up at their overnight base.

Villa manager David O'Leary, who revealed that 29-year-old Solano had accepted a "significant'' pay-cut, is prepared to put up with the heavy international schedule that caused conflict between the player and Robson.

Solano, who was also a target for Birmingham, joined Villa after chairman Doug Ellis agreed to free around half of the meagre budget O'Leary will have at his disposal this summer. O'Leary had been tracking Solano for several weeks and he has become his first - and probably only - signing during the transfer window.

O'Leary said: ''In the transfer window, you don't want to bring in panic buys and Nobby is someone I have wanted.

''It has come as a surprise that it has happened because I didn't think we were going to be doing any business. I was hoping that no-one else would take him and then we would try again in the summer.

''But I had a bit of money earmarked for next summer to spend and maybe nearly half of that has been released to me now to get the player I wanted.

''The lad has also taken a significant drop in his terms compared to what he was on at Newcastle to make it happen. It shows how much he wants to play.''

O'Leary admitted: ''As regards Nobby's international commitments, you have to weigh up a lot of things when making a signing.

''I'm not in the market like a Birmingham City or a Newcastle who can go and try to splash £5m on a player. If you have £1.5m signings, you can't have everything. Some things come into it - like the international ties.

"I wouldn't like to sign many players like that, but I can't have everything when I am limited to the amount of money I have. That's a downer I have to put up with. For that money, Nobby is quality and I have to accept the minus side of it.''

Solano insisted there was no fall-out with Robson, although he felt his days were numbered as a first-choice player despite starting the last eight games.

He said: ''I had a good relationship with Bobby Robson. He is a good person - but maybe this season he changed his mind about me as a player.

''Three years ago I was his first choice and this season maybe I am his last choice. That is the reason for me to move to Villa. I had to look after myself. At Newcastle I now had to wait for someone to get injured to get the chance to play.''

Solano will replace the injured Lee Hendrie against Leicester as Villa look to bounce back from their Carling Cup semi-final exit to Bolton.

* Tottenham insist they have had no inquiry from Newcastle about the availability of their captain Stephen Carr.

Republic of Ireland defender Carr has been linked with a switch to Tyneside during the transfer window - but Spurs director of football David Pleat dented that speculation.

''I certainly hope Stephen is interesting Newcastle,'' he said.

''I would hope he is interesting a few clubs, because I hope that when our team does well all our players interest other clubs with their performances.

''There has been nothing official at all - and all I know is what I have seen in the press."