According to his agent, Eric Lichaj has recovered from a broken foot and is ready to kick start his Aston Villa career.

The 19-year old ex-UNC star signed for the English Premier League club at the end of July having already suffered a metatarsal fracture, and missed the rest of 2007.

"It has been a tough four or five months for Eric," Steve Kelly told American Soccer Daily. "But he has worked hard to get fit and he is now fully recovered from his injury, so his Villa career essentially began on the 1st of January, 2008."

Illinois-born Lichaj, who will initially link up with Villa's academy squad, was a regular with the US Under-17 team since entering Bradenton in Fall 2003, and saw action with the U-20s before their World Cup in Canada last summer.