Ron Vlaar signs six-month deal at AZ Alkmaar

Former Aston Villa captain Ron Vlaar has signed a six-month contract at Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar.

The Netherlands international had been without a club since leaving Villa at the end of last season.

Manchester United were among the teams credited with an interest in the 30-year-old, but the centre-back has been unable to play this season as he recovers from a serious knee problem.

Sunderland and Norwich City have both been linked with the experienced defender in recent weeks, but AZ have confirmed that Vlaar has signed a deal until the end of the 2015-16 campaign after returning to fitness.

The 31-time Dutch international came through the youth system at AZ and represented their first team on 14 occasions before moving on to Feyenoord, where he spent six years.